Daddy's Girls
by retwin
Summary: Ronon finds some of his people only to loose them. Taking thier young children under his protection Ronon gains more than a family and belonging he finds love.


Title: Daddy's Girls

Author: Sidnea Blackstone

Part: Complete

Rating: NC17 AO

Pairing: Ronon and Novak, a sprinkling of Carson/Cadman and John/Teyla

Disclaimer: Not mine damn it all or I would so be shipping Ronon and Lindsey on the show.

Summary: A trip off world leads to some unexpected changes in Ronon's life. When he returns home he finds that there is something wrong with the women of Atlantis and Ronon's had enough.

Warnings: Hmmm…bad words…maybe some violence a little sex and a cat fight or two.

Daddy's Girls

The Vow

The planet of Sandyt was beautiful and lush; the skies were deepest blue and the landscape covered in dense foliage in varying shades of green; it was idealic and fresh. A world untouched by the ugliness of technology; a place in tune with nature to the very core. That is why it was such a shock that the beautifully full environment could hide such an unthinkable disaster.

The first team from Atlantis had arrived only four weeks ago and found the indigenous peoples sick and dying. When the team radioed in that there seemed to be a plague on the planet the entire gate room had stilled, Sheppard's team couldn't come back through the gate until they determined what sort of epidemic they were facing.

Carson and his team had worked around the clock trying to find some cause either natural or manufactured, but they were stumped. What ever was killing them no trace was left to be discovered and lend to a cure. Carson was devastated by his impotence in the matter and pushed himself even harder. Now, weeks later there was still no clue as to why the population of Sandyt was slowly dying off. Soon there would be no one left.

That wasn't exactly the truth. Though the adults all seemed to be dying the children were thriving, that was part of the mystery one that seemed hopelessly unsolvable.

Lindsey was among the non-medical personnel that volunteered to help in the treatment of the sick and she spent her days going from building to building taking fresh water and supplies to those caring for the dying.

Oddly, it was one of the smaller homes that seemed to draw her more and more, the house belonged to a man from Sateda. The word spread, that first day, like wildfire throughout Atlantis that Ronon Dex had discovered one of his missing people, but the murmured comments were tinged with solemn understanding that the man would not survive this battle with death. Rumors flew around base that Ronon, upon meeting the Satedan, stormed out of the house never to return, because he was unwilling to watch one of his own die.

Lindsey knew that was untrue and that it was likely started by someone new to the Expedition, because anyone that had known Ronon, for any length of time, knew he was no coward.

Those off-world knew that he had rarely been seen away from the little house where a woman lay dying beside her emaciated husband. It was a devastating assignment for them all, watching as family after family fell prey to the cruel hand of death.

The first time Lindsey carried water and supplies into the house she was stunned at what she saw. Her first sight of the couple had been of the two on their sides facing each other hands joined over a tiny baby, which was squirming and whimpering between them.

The woman had tears streaming down her face and the man's bony fingers gently brushed them away in a gesture of love and comfort. They had obviously been ill for sometime, but there baby looked fresh and new. Shining of life in the midst of death.

"Ronon…I…," the woman turned and looked up at the mountain of a man her voice rusty as she spoke. "I can not feed him…I tried but I…I," she broke down and sobs racked her fragile frame.

Lindsey had literally felt her heart seize up as she watched the woman trying to decide what to do. Ronon was sitting in a small chair beside the bed and his large frame seemed out of place there. On his lap sat a chubby little girl of about two years of age, she was sucking her thumb and curled against Ronon's strong chest.

They were young this couple. Younger than she was herself and it was startling to realize their lives would be cut so short. Ronon's large hand tenderly stroked the silken cap of tousled curls on the little girl's head and he gently scooped her off his lap and set her on her feet at his side.

Immediately the tiny girl's arms wrapped around one of Ronon's legs, the top of her pixy head barely reaching his knee. "Libertina," His voice was deep and unconsciously soothing as he placed his large hand on the woman's head. "I spoke with Doctor Beckett and he said he would send what was needed to feed Little Kylon. Don't worry."

It was strange at first to see the scariest member of the Atlantis Expedition cradling the tiny squalling baby in one arm, while his two year old sister nestled into the nook of the other, his large hand holding a bottle to the tiny bow-like lips.

As Lindsey made her way to the tiny house, her pack filled with supplies, she realized that it now seemed quiet natural for her to see this new unexplored side of Ronon Dex. She never said anything, she just came dropped off the supplies and went.

It seemed too intimate a situation for an outsider like her to intrude. She didn't expect today to be any different, but as she entered the front door she felt a knew heaviness hanging in the air. She found herself walking as though entranced to the door which opened out into the larger sleeping area.

The room usually dominated by the hulking frame of the Satedan was empty and there was no movement from the bed. Lindsey felt her heart constricted and she stepped closer to the bed as a silent tear slipped from her eye. They had obviously passed on and someone, Ronon most likely, covered them with a thin gossamer white shroud. A small bouquet of wild flora was tucked into Libertina's delicate lifeless fingers.

Saying a silent prayer for the couple, Lindsey returned to the outer room and unloaded the days rations onto the table. It felt wrong to leave the dead, abandoning them, but Lindsey felt compelled to find Ronon and check on the children. She felt an odd kinship with the children on this world, they were as she herself was, orphans.

Leaving the house she stood on the step listening for a moment, before heading in the direction of the deep rumbling voice in the distance. It didn't take long to find him or the children. They were in an open field filled with the same wild flowers from inside the house, beside them stood an unlit funeral pyre with a soft bed of fern fronds laid upon it.

Ronon sat with little Libbie in his lap, his large fingers nimbly helping her chubby baby fingers create a long chain of purple and white flowers. Resting crookedly upon her tousled silky head she wore a ringlet of the same flowers. Ronon had a wreath of the flowers around his neck and at first glance a person might have missed the cloth sling that Ronon wore across his chest, but the little baby fist clutching the beads he always wore was hard to miss.

Lindsey felt something inside her melt at the sight and she moved closer snapping a twig under her weight. The little girl startled and looked around, but Ronon never moved he just finished linking the last of the flowers, before he looked up his intense gaze meeting hers not surprised to see her.

Lindsey fidgeted nervously and then took the last few steps until she stood above them. "I," she cleared her throat, "I'm sorry about your friends."

"Yeah," was all he said his eyes still boring into hers.

"I- um- I brought the days rations and I added a couple small chocolate bars for Libbie, she enjoyed it the other…" Lindsey stammered to a stop. He unnerved her. He always had.

The first time she had seen him was during that whole Go' auld sabotage thing. The crew of the Daedilus was brought in to be interviewed during the investigation and Ronon had stood arms akimbo eyes intense and brooding promising a painful death to anyone found to be complicit in the sabotage of the city.

Lindsey had controlled her bodies natural urge to hiccough all the way from the Daedilus, but one look into those eyes and she'd been hiccoughing non-stop for three hours.

"Thank you," Ronon said as he scooped the little girl to his shoulders and stood up. Libbie laughed and grabbing two tiny fists full of Ronon's primitive looking locks laid her cheek upon the top of his head as though it was one of her favorite places to be.

Lindsey followed the large man back to the house as they rounded the corner they found Colonel Sheppard and Doctor McKay sitting solemnly on the front steps.

When they saw Ronon they stood up and using some form of male bonding simply nodded. It was a quiet and unspoken communiqué that Sheppard only broke when it began to feel too uncomfortable. "Teyla is back on the mainland setting up homes for the children."

Ronon stiffened, "They have a home."

Sheppard frowned he hadn't known that and in fact had spoken at length with Teyla just that morning about the need of a home for the two newest orphans and she had nodded indicating that she would stay behind and search for the perfect family.

He was about to ask his friend what he had in mind when little Libbie started bouncing up and down on Ronon's shoulders chanting happily as she flopped the man's locks, "Do' Ro-ro…do'.

Lindsey wasn't the only one startled by the gentle almost paternal smile that crossed Ronon's face as he draped the flower chain upon the steps and then plucked the girl from his shoulders sitting her down on the ground at his feet.

The little girl clapped her hands and said in her almost indecipherable baby garble, "Lib do'."

"Yes, Libbie is down," he told her as he tousled her curly head making her flower crown slip to dangle precariously from the side of her head.

Rodney who had been staring in utter confusion before Ronon spoke perked up and got a smug look on his face, "Ro-ro," he questioned.

"Yeah," Ronon said his face growing stern as he stood to his full height, "You got a problem with that?"

Rodney looked taken aback and hurried to extricate himself from the obviously dangerous situation his mouth had gotten him into…again, "No, no problem at all…Ro-ro." Okay so he wasn't afraid enough of Ronon to not rib him about the name after all.

Ronon just stared the scientist down and without a word began to loosen the knot holding the sling in place upon his chest. Lindsey was shocked when he turned to her and spoke. "We have to move the bodies will you watch Kylon and Libbie for a few moments?"

Stunned Lindsey gaped at him. She grew up in an orphanage and the children had generally been split up among age groups and never the twain should meet.

"Um-I," she stammered, "sure." When he started to transfer the baby into her arms she started to panic. "Um- I have to warn you I missed-hiccup-the mommy class. I have no clue how to hold a baby."

Ronon smiled at that, after all it wasn't like he had known until four weeks ago, "Don't worry, just cradle him against your chest and support his neck."

He gently lifted Kylon from the sling and handed him to Lindsey careful to show her how to hold the wiggling baby. Almost immediately the baby began to cry and Lindsey turned stricken eyes on Ronon.

"He is just hungry," he assured her as he plucked a baby bottle from the pocket of his rustic leather trousers. "He's a glutton," he handed the warm bottle to Lindsey and she wasn't sure if it was the fact it had been in his pocket or if it had been warmed before going into his pocket, but either way she found herself unable to have a cogent thought.

She just stood, staring dumbly at the man with her mouth agape. She was sure she was seconds away from actually drooling.

With a smirk, as though he knew exactly where her thoughts had gone, he wrapped his very large warm fingers around hers and guided the nipple of the bottle into the fussing babies mouth.

Instantly the baby was silent as he hungrily feasted; Lindsey blushed and began to hiccough as Ronon's fingers remained on hers longer than necessary.

Feeling like a complete idiot Lindsey focused on the hungry baby, he was heavier than he looked and Ronon was right, the way he was sucking down the formula, Kylon was a glutton.

Lindsey was fascinated by the fat cheek and the dimple in it. This was literally her first time holding a baby and she felt her insides clinch and her heart skip. Never had she been aware of how good it would feel to nurture a child. When Kylon opened his tiny baby eyes and blinked up at her, Lindsey Novak heard her biological clock start ticking.

Ronon, Sheppard and Rodney carried the shrouded couple to the field and placed them atop the unlit pyre and then Ronon carefully placed the rope of flowers across the eternally silent couple.

Rodney stood silently with a bundle of herbs in his hand. Watching as Ronon removed the flowers from around his neck and laid it over the couple's joined hands, then he stepped back and Sheppard placed a small earthen cup full of water upon the pyre. Rodney added his herbs and then moved back to stand near Sheppard.

Lindsey placed the bowl of soil Ronon gave her next to the water and then stepped back, when she was done that Ronon murmured, "From life to death, from womb to grave. Of essence and thought…a vow never forgotten."

The others had no clue what he was about to do when he lifted a knife to his palm and made a sweeping movement and then squeezed his hand into a fist allowing his blood to drip onto the gossamer shroud.

Sheppard was the first to speak as Ronon wrapped a piece of cloth around his wounded palm and then lit the pyre. "Ronon, what the hell was that?"

"A blood vow," he answered without looking at the others, his eyes were trained on the fire consuming the empty husks of friends he had never hoped to find all those weeks ago when he arrived through the gate. "I promised Rathon that I would care for his children and that I would swear a blood vow upon his journey's end."

"So, that means what exactly," Sheppard asked. He seemed to be expecting what Ronon said next, but didn't stop the softly spoken curse from passing his lips.

"It means they are my children and I am their father," he said as he turned and picked up Libbie depositing her on his shoulders and reaching out to Lindsey for Kylon.

The Problem

Ronon sat in the mess hall pointedly ignoring everyone except little Libbie and Kylon. There was something very wrong with the women of the city, but he couldn't put his finger on what it was exactly. The tittering masses at the table to his west set his teeth on edge almost as effectively as the whir of a wraith dart.

Ronon rolled his eyes and finished cutting the apple in bite sized pieces for Libbie, when he was done he placed the tray in front of the little girl and her eyes lit up with delight. He had given her the multi-colored loops that came from Earth and apple her two most favorite foods. Well, besides chocolate anyway, but even Ronon knew that wasn't good for breakfast.

Stuffing half a piece of toast in his mouth he picked up Kylon's bottle and began feeding him while he chewed. There was a chorus of awww's from the table at the east and an intrepid soul made her way toward him from north. Persistent soul would be more like it, Courtney had been acting like a bitch in heat and no matter what he said or did she didn't back-off. He was to the point really that he was going to break his firm no killing the earthlings policy. It would get blood on the mess hall floor and Sheppard would bitch and moan, but at least he would be free of the soul-sucking bitch and her sexual innuendoes.

Courtney wasn't the only woman that seemed to think he needed her, no less than six different women approached him in the first week after he returned from Sandyt with the children.

He'd gone to Sheppard sure that he would know what was wrong with the women but all he did was talk about some Earth movie called, 'Three Men and A Baby'. Ronon hadn't figured out the significance of that even though he had spent many an hour deliberating over the facts. He was only one man, there were two children and there were hordes of women it made no sense to him at all.

Ronon ignored the woman as she slid into the chair next to Libbie and hoped she would go away. She didn't. With a heavy sigh Ronon put a towel over his shoulder and lifted Kylon to rest against it all the while rubbing in firm circular motion that Carson had shown him.

Kylon released a satisfying burp and spat up a portion of his milk. Ronon saw the shiver of undisguised revulsion that flickered into Courtney's eyes before she replaced it with the sugary sweet smile and coo-ing voice that made him think about life-sucking aliens, "Good morning."

Ronon simply grunted a response and shifted Kylon and began feeding him the rest of his bottle. Glancing at Libbie he saw her reaching for her cup of cranberry-apple juice. He quickly retrieved it from her reach and when her bottom lip started to quiver he just smiled and held the cup to her lips. He had learned the hard way that she was a menace with a full cup.

"You baby her too much," Courtney informed him.

"You think so," he asked with enough sarcasm to stop a wraith in its tracks.

"Yeah," Courtney responded only too happy to expound on her parenting advice. "Let her hold the cup she needs to learn you won't always be around to hold the cup."

Ronon's dislike for the woman grew with that simply statement and he smiled a cold and deadly smile, that she obviously mistook for genuine pleasure. "Fine," he said as he raised his eyebrow and released the cup into Libbie's sole possession. It wobbled a moment, but Libbie held it firm.

Courtney watched the child steady the cup and smiled her victory, "See?" It was a short lived victory because Libbie after little or no deliberation flung the cup sending the bright red juice to rain down onto Courtney's, from a bottle, platinum blond hair.

The shriek that filled the mess hall caused everyone within the room to freeze before swiveling around to see what had happened. The sight of an obviously furious Courtney with cranberry pink hair gave them all a good laugh.

When Courtney's shock wore off outrage set in and the woman thrust herself to her feet her mouth working as though she had many things she wished she to say, but was unsure in which order to start.

"Ju…Ro-ro," Libbie happily banged her now empty cup on the table top. "Lib ju…Ro-ro."

Courtney stiffened and she stalked off obviously very angry. Ronon knew he should tell Libbie not to throw her juice at the table, but didn't have the heart. His sweet girl had gotten rid of Courtney faster than seven weeks worth of refusals and barely veiled insults.

With a large smile he poured Libbie more juice and helped her drink. "Good girl," he whispered as she met his gaze over the cup while she drank.

Setting the cup down he prepared to burp Kylon again. The woman Ronon asked to watch the children would be arriving from the mainland any minute and then He would be going off-world with his team. Before going to Sandyt the team ate together; breakfast, lunch and dinner.

However the kids seemed unable to adjust to Atlantean time and Ronon had been forced to start his days earlier than the others. Ronon found himself missing the strange scientist that always seemed to be up even earlier than Libbie and Kylon. The first day after their return to Atlantis found Ronon lugging two wide awake children into the mess hall at, as Sheppard called it the butt crack of dawn. He hadn't expected anyone else to be in the mess that early and was surprised when he entered to find Lindsey Novak sitting at a table in the back of the room.

She hadn't noticed their arrival and her hands were pressed flat on either side of her full tray. She hadn't blinked or moved and it disturbed Ronon, especially with the sad lost look on her face. He remembered watching her as he filled a tray with breakfast items and thinking they should just go back to their rooms to eat so that they wouldn't disturb her, but Libby had fixed that by squirming to get down and making a beeline for the 'Cholat, la-e'. Libby had recognized Lindsey as the source of the mysterious chocolate treats and Ronon could only guess that, 'cholat la-e' was chocolate lady.

When Lindsey heard Libbie's tiny voice she had stiffened, but when her eyes found the bouncing curly head the sadness disappeared and she helped Libby climb into the chair beside her. The strangely silent woman had searched for and found him, when their eyes met she blushed and she'd gotten a strange deer in the headlights look in her eyes. They shared breakfast together and she had listened intently to the baby garble Libbie used.

She'd helped Libbie with her cup while he burped Kylon, she had introduced Libbie to the finer points of eating earth-style and from that day on Libbie ate the sweet fruit loops. Lindsey had also given Ronon several elastic bands and a hair brush. When he looked at her questioningly she simply shrugged and pulled Libbie onto her lap patiently brushing the curly mop of hair into a ponytail high on Libbie's head. It looked cute and so every morning after Libbie's bath Ronon pulled her riot of curls into a fountain atop her head. The first three days had been somewhat normal at least during breakfast, but the rest of the day he was inundated with tittering, jabbering women. Unlike the flock of other women that started to fill the mess hall in the pre-dawn hours, around day three, they didn't see her at any other time that first week except breakfast. On the seventh day after they got back Lindsey mentioned that she would be leaving on the Daedilus for a return trip to Earth.

That day when he was busy clearing the table he had seen Lindsey whisper something in Libbie's ear and give her a fleeting kiss to the top of her curly head. When he had arrived back at the table she had the same sad look on her face, that he had seen that first morning, but she smiled and handed him six chocolate bars before she stood up and left the mess hall.

Seeing that Libbie was finished eating and that Kylon also was done Ronon picked up their things and cleared the table before swinging Libbie onto his shoulder and heading back to their rooms to meet Charetta, the grandmotherly woman who watched the children while he was away with his team. It was odd the feelings that he now felt. Never before had he felt so connected to life, not even while he was with Malina and he had loved her sometimes he thought beyond reason. He was able to do his duty without his mind once returning home.

However, now when he was off-world he found himself thinking of Libbie and Kylon and hoping they were safe. He even wondered what they were doing while he was away. It was strange after so many years alone and running from world to world for him to wake up every morning to Libbie and Kylon…his family.

That thought put a large smile on his face as he stepped out of the transport and headed toward his rooms. Charetta was already there waiting and her weathered cheeks plumped up with an answering smile, "Ronon how are you this day?"

"Well, Charetta," he greeted her with a slight bow of his head and lowered Libbie to the floor. Opening his room door he gestured for Charetta to precede him.

"Hi, Ronon."

Ronon simply lifted a hand in greeting and went into his room without looking at the woman. He had decided that he would get nothing done if he replied to each greeting he received. He nuzzled the soft baby head of Kylon and then quickly gave him over to Charetta.

"Your girls are becoming bolder I see," the older woman said as handed him the perfumed envelopes that had been sitting in front of his door when she arrived.

Ronon just rolled his eyes and tossed the papers into the trash. His voice was deep and low as he eyed the woman suspiciously, "They aren't my girls."

"Ronon, you are a prized male," Charetta lay Kylon down on the cushioned pallet and raised her eyes to Ronon.

He just snorted, "Yeah, well, I don't feel like being their prize."

Charetta smiled at that, "You are a fine warrior; a handsome man with a strong body and now you have shown yourself to be tender and loving. Such a man is much sought after whether he desires to be the prize or not."

Uncharacteristically Ronon felt himself blush at Charetta's assessment of him. The older woman simply patted his cheek and smiled. "Perhaps you should begin to think about these girls and choose a life mate. It is not right for such a virile man to be alone."

"I'm not alone. I have Libbie and Kylon. Now, no more talk about life mates and my girls. We are only going to be gone about six hours," he said to Charetta as he knelt down and opened his arms wide, Libbie ran into them and wrapped her tiny baby arms around his neck. Holding her tight against his chest he leaned down and whispered softly in her ear, "Love you."

Lindsey felt like a fool as she looked around her bunk at all the bags and boxes filling every corner. What had she been thinking while back on Earth? She could only assume her logical brain had taken a vacation. Flopping backward onto her bed she hugged one of the many stuffed bears to her chest and closed her eyes. She'd been beating herself up over her rash actions for the last fifteen days.

Now they were at the edge of the Pegasus galaxy and she felt her nerves ratcheting up the closer they actually got to Atlantis. She'd used the three days she'd been given on Earth to spend a good portion of her earnings these past two years.

Which, was a considerable amount when one took into account that she had no bills and was rarely on a planet that took her bank card or cash as currency. It had started off with her deciding to by a gift for Libby and Kylon and ended up with her putting in a chit for extra storage compartments aboard the Daedilus.

Once she'd gotten to the store she'd seen so many things that the children needed as well as things that she'd always wanted as a small girl in the orphanage and she didn't have another clear thought until she was once again en route to the City of the Ancients.

She hadn't only bought things for Libby and Kylon, she'd bought shoes and socks, underwear and tee shirts in almost every size and color. Books, board games and even children's vitamins that she planned to give to the other orphans on the mainland. It had been an irrational thing to do and she couldn't stop herself. It was an irrationality born of a life lived with nothing truly her own.

Her mind slowly relaxed and she began to think about her life. She'd spent thousands of hard earned dollars and yet still everything that was hers fit in this tiny room. Ever since she held little Kylon she felt herself growing restless. What was the point of her life? She knew she was a valued member of the Daedilus crew, but if the wraith were to appear in this room and suck her life away would anyone even care? Aside from the obvious security breech and the need to get rid of her lifeless husk and the very few possessions scattered about, would anyone even realize she'd gone?

Sighing she closed her eyes and turning onto her side, curling around the teddy bear she vanished the self pity along with the discomfort over having bought all this stuff. The milk was spilt and there was nothing left, but to wipe it up.

Lindsey had the hiccoughs, and she'd had them for the last three hours. They started shortly after the Daedilus broke atmosphere and had continued through post-docking checks and her slow walk from the south-east pier to this spot twenty-six inches from Ronon Dex's door.

She knew he was off-world and that it was only the children's nanny she would have to see, but she still felt exposed by her actions and afraid of what the woman would think of her. This wasn't boding well for the new and improved Lindsey Novak, she'd promised herself she was going to become. That resolution hadn't lasted any longer than her new years eve resolution to not drink coffee. She was a damned mental energy sink drain; a veritable ecretion disc of human need. How the hell she would ever make herself over into a real woman was beyond her. Rolling her eyes and swallowing another hiccough, Lindsey raised her hand and passed it over the sensor emitting a short chime.

When the door slid open Lindsey was met by the amused gaze of Charetta, who laughed as she spoke, "I see you gathered you courage."

Lindsey's eyes widened, had the woman known she was standing outside all that time? The answer was obvious, of course she'd heard her rather loud and annoying hiccoughing going on just outside the door. Sighing over her innate ability to embarrass herself Lindsey swallowed and asked rather timidly, "I realize you don't know me, but may I come in for a few moments?"

Charetta smiled and nodded, stepping away from the door and allowing the woman to enter. This woman was different than the other women that had set their snares for Ronon, she was timid and seemed to lack the overt display of confidence that the others seemed to flout.

"Cholat la-e," Libbie's happy voice brought a change to the woman's face and then the timid demeanor was gone replaced by a large smile as she scooped the little girl into her arms. Charetta could have sworn she heard the woman whisper, "I missed you," but the words were whispered to softly and were pressed into the little girls hair.

Slightly confused over the woman Charetta spoke, "Ronon is off-world and will not be back until 2300 this night."

The woman startled but recovered quickly, "Oh, um-that's okay I only came, because I brought the children a few gifts while I was back on Earth." She looked nervous but then she seemed to shake herself and come to a decision. Charetta watched as she took a small object from her pocket and sat it in the middle of the floor.

With a guiding hand Lindsey moved the woman back away from the object a few paces. Looking at the area again a frown creased her brow and then she moved them back even further. "Hermiod, you can transport anytime you are ready."

"Very well, Doctor Novak."

There was a bright almost blinding flash and then where once only a small object had been there was now a large pile of things. Frowning at the mountain of things Charetta turned to look at the woman who blushed under her scrutiny.

"What is all of this?"

"I-well-um…" Lindsey stammered for a moment before she sat Libbie down and moved toward the things, "I was doing some shopping and I thought about Libbie and Kylon and…Well, before I knew it I had all this." She gestured toward the pile. "I put everything together that had to be put together, like Kylon's crib and the princess bed for Libbie," she pointed at the items as she spoke.

"Well," Charetta said softly as she inspected the objects, "Let us see what you have brought."

The Mistake

Ronon was tired and pissed. He couldn't understand why the hell Rodney always had to drag them half way across every damned planet in the galaxy to search for mysterious power readings, that invariably always ended up being nothing. It was late and he was covered in mud, they'd been delayed when Rodney slipped down an embankment into a pool of mud. When they finally rescued Rodney, and in Ronon's case, stomped back to the gate, they were still clueless about what the hell was causing the spiked energy readings. Hell, they didn't even have a clear idea of where the energy was coming from and that meant another trip to that miserable marsh planet.

When his teammates stepped through the gate, they were greeted with widened eyes that quickly turned to laughter. Ronon whose reputation as a bad ass had taken a slight hit when he started caring for Libbie and Kylon earned back his hard ass status with a well placed glare and a feral, menacing growl at the gate guard nearest him and had Teyla not seen exactly what he would do he might have hurt one of them.

Doctor Weir had found their appearance funny as well, that is until the caked on glop started to plop messily onto the control room floor. She noticed too late however to stop the mess from spreading because Ronon just tramped out of the gate room leaving mud and growls in his wake. He didn't care that some poor low-level schmuck would be calling him names for the rest of his tour in Atlantis, he only cared that he was six hours late and that meant Charetta had to take his kids to the mainland for the night and that pissed him off.

Charetta had a family and a husband of her own and she had warned him that she would not be able to stay late at the city with the children, but told him she would welcome them into her home until he was able to come home to Atlantis.

Not wanting to spread this stinking mud through out his living quarters he made a bee line straight to the community showers. Peeling off his muddy cloths with great difficulty, Ronon turned on the water as hot as he could get it.

Thankfully there was dispensers with body soap, shampoo and conditioner. The hot water felt good on his clammy skin and he simply stood water rushing over his naked body, soothing him in a small way. Using his large hands he ran them over his body being sure all the mud and grit were washed away before spreading sweet smelling foam over his form and removing the lingering dirty feeling the two hour mud covered trek had given him.

His hair was another problem all together. It took nearly half an hour to get the grit and grime out of his hair. In that time Sheppard and McKay had found there way into the showers near him and Rodney's on going diatribe about mud and dirt had Ronon contemplating stunning him.

Finally finishing up he turned the water off in his stall and using both hands twisted his hair viciously ringing the water from it. Picking up his water logged things he tossed them into one of the plastic bags the Earth people seemed so fond of and looped his gun belt over his shoulder. Yanking a towel from the stack near the door he wrapped it around his waist and headed for the door.

It was a long trip to his rooms, but Ronon didn't pay anyone mind as he stormed through the halls. He was fully aware of the women that stopped, eyes racking over his naked chest and sagging towel, he just didn't care. When he keyed open his room and stepped inside he thought for a moment he had the wrong room, but then he noticed the bed with his leather and fur coverings.

Frowning he walked further into the room not noticing when his door slid shut behind him. Along the far wall to the right of the bathroom were two strange pieces of furniture. One looked like a cage and upon closer inspection it contained a sleeping Kylon. The strange bed was crafted out of heavy wood and each thick spindle had been carved skillfully. Each end was solid and Kylon's name was engraved deep in the wood. The bedding was the same as had been on the boy's pallet, leather and fur.

Turning to the second unfamiliar piece of furniture he found it was crafted from the same dark wood but was more delicate than the cage and had no spindles along the side. It also had solid ends except instead of 'Kylon' it read 'Libertina' and it was empty. The bedding from the pallet was used, but there was soft cream colored material peeking out from under the furs. Around the edges it looked frilly and had creamy satin ribbon woven in and out of the fabric. It was a bed made for a girl and yet it was still rustic and in keeping with the rest of the rooms furnishings.

Tossing his bag on the end of his bed he looked around the room. Someone had obviously decided he had not provided for the children well enough and after seeing the improved bedding he felt guilty that he hadn't thought to give the children more than a pallet of furs and leather. Many new things could be found and with out a doubt they had come from Earth. There were two chests made from the same wood and had the children's names engraved in the top. He was about to investigate them when he heard laughing coming from his en suite bathroom.

His eyes narrowed and he began stalking toward the door, when it opened and a giggling Libbie was carried out. The woman's arms were wrapped around Libbie, and her face was buried in the tiny squirming girl's belly, loud rasping noises were muffled by their combined laughter.

"What the hell is going on," Ronon demanded his voice rough and his countenance forbidding.

He caught the woman by surprise and she nearly jumped out of her skin. Wide eyes met his and then after a moment they seemed to loose some of their fear as she set Libbie on the floor at her feet. Libbie took no time to cross the room, her soft curls shining as they bounced with every baby step. She was wearing a silky looking pink gown with ribbons and frills, and she looked so beautiful Ronon felt his heart flip. Scooping his girl up he hugged her close to his chest and buried his face in her sweet smelling neck. Her squirming legs caught his towel and if he hadn't had quick reflexes it might have fallen. He murmured that it was time for her to sleep and he would see her in the morning, then he placed her gently into the new bed and tucked the leather and fur blanket to her chin. Leaning in he kissed her forehead.

Ronon heard movement by the door and without turning demanded, "Where are you going?"

Lindsey stopped, she'd been on her way to the door. She hadn't meant to be here when he arrived back, her plan had been drop in; set up the room and leave before Ronon returned. That plan had been going along just fine until Charetta got word the team would be arriving late. Charetta told her that she was unable to watch the children for that length of time and had asked if she would watch them until Ronon returned. When she's waffled Charetta played her trump card, "If you do not I will have to take them to the mainland with me, and little Libbie is so looking forward to sleeping in her new bed."

Lindsey was smart enough to admit she was a sucker and that her backbone was made of boiled spaghetti. Right now however her entire body felt like wobbly noodles and her face was bright flaming red. Ronon Dex was a man that looked good in cloths and as she had just discovered looked even better in a towel. Such information should not be in the hands of a coward like her, because even though the thought of seeing what lay beneath the towel crossed her mind, she was too timid to actual make a move.

Now, had Courtney been graced with this particular situation she wouldn't have been running for the door she would have been stripping down and stretching herself across the nearest flat surface in invitation. Lindsey really hated Courtney.

"I-I," she blushed as she turned and watched him stand up his towel slung low across his hips. Her eyes widened as she took in the scars that seemed to cover his back between his shoulder blades. Taking a deep breath she tried to focus on what he asked instead of what she was seeing. "You are home, I was going back to the Daedilus. You must be tired."

When Ronon turned around his eyes were fierce and Lindsey took a step back involuntarily, as he stalked across the room toward her she must have continued her backward pace because she found herself against the wall with Ronon staring angrily down at her. "Am I not doing well enough for Libbie and Kylon," he growled.

Lindsey was stunned, he thought she disapproved of his handling of Libbie and Kylon and he was angry, more angry than she had ever seen anyone. "No," she shook her head. It was the wrong way to start her denial, because his large hands were now gripping her arms. "I m-m-mean-hiccup- I meant to say -hiccup- you are doing -hiccup- a wonder-hic-ful job with them."

"I think you're lying," he said his voice low and his eyes menacing.

Closing her eyes she tried to control her hiccoughs, but the fact that a nearly naked Ronon was holding her against the wall made that rather difficult. Taking a deep breath she licked her lips and then opened her eyes. She had offended him and that made her feel terrible. Ronon had been doing a wonderful job with the children. "No," she shook her head. "I just -hiccup-wanted to -hiccup- wanted to give -hiccup- the kids something." She stammered, "A gift."

His body moved away from hers marginally and his hands loosened their grip, "Why," he asked suspiciously, his eyes narrowed. "Is this payment to get into my bed?"

Lindsey flushed, did she need a reason to buy them gifts? The thought of getting into his bed made her body run hot even as his words made it run cold. She was starting to be tired of this defensive position she always seemed to end up in. It came from always meekly letting people say or do what ever they pleased while she held her tongue. Narrowing her eyes she decided she had had enough, "Listen up I was back on Earth and saw some things I thought the kids would need and I bought them. I gave them a gift and that was all, and I may be pathetic to you, but I don't have to pay for sex!"

Her eyes flashed and her anger tripled when she felt her heart thump painfully and her eyes filled with angry tears. "Please let me go," she said her voice was firm, but hitched when she added, "Now!"

Ronon felt his mistake to his very core as the hurt and sadness once again marred her features. Standing away from her he slowly released her, his fingers sliding from her as she straightened her shoulders and slid along the wall until she could get around him. Lowering her eyes she turned and headed for the door.

She was almost there when Ronon heard the patter of little feet slapping against the cool floor, "Lindy," she called out as she ran. He watched as the woman stiffened and then wiped her cheeks before turning around and knelt down giving Libbie a quick hug and a large smile.

Ronon watched and what he saw shocked him. Lindsey Novak hadn't done any of the things she'd done for him, she'd done it because she truly cared about Libbie and Kylon.

Oddly, enough in his already horrible mood, he found him self wondering what was wrong with him that she hadn't even considered him. After all every other woman on Atlantis, except Teyla and Doctor Weir, seemed to think he had created the planets and hung the stars.

Yet, here was this strange little scientist looking down her nose on him and obviously only tolerating his company in order to get to his children. It was a bitter pill to swallow as Carson would say.

"Nighty-night Libbie," she murmured as she hugged her one last time, "Sweet dreams."

"Nigh', Lindy." Tousling Libbie's hair Lindsey stood up and walked out of his room not even sparing him a backward glance.

Frown etched across his brow Ronon followed her out the door. She had stopped a few feet away with her head bowed, but she must have heard the swish of the door because she straightened and quickly left.

Ronon cut a forbidding path through the crowded mess hall the next morning. His mood hadn't improved much from the night before and the fact that his usually tranquil morning meal was once again inundated with coo-ing and ahh-ing women only served to tick him off further. He glanced around the crowded tables and he wasn't even sure what he was looking for, but he knew it wasn't here. Sighing heavily he grabbed a bowl of dry fruit loops and headed for the door.

He knew he'd acted like an ass the night before and his mood was made worse by the fact that when he'd gone through the carved boxes he'd found not only cloths and toys, but also a photo album with pictures of Libertina and her husband Rathon, the quality wasn't great but you could tell who they were. There were others with the four of them as a family.

The last photo in the book was of Ronon, he was smiling so big in the picture and he had no clue when it was taken. All the photo's were carefully labeled as though it had been done by the children with captions like, 'Our Mom and Dad' or 'Our Family' and the caption under his photo had read, 'Our New Papa'.

Ronon wasn't a man to have regrets and usually he could just over look the twinges when he did, but for some reason he couldn't over look the way he had acted toward Lindsey Novak. He decided that the next time he saw her he was going to apologize to her. He hated feeling as though he were wrong and he would just have to fix that.

Back in their room he gave them their breakfast and sat on his bed staring at the gifts Lindsey had given them. He didn't know how long he sat there before he heard the chime of his door and called out for Charetta to enter.

When the door opened however it was Sheppard and not his sitter. "Wow," was the astonished exclamation from his friend and team commander. "I see Santa Claus didn't forget about Libbie and Kylon, while he was shopping back on Earth."

Ronon just grunted and Sheppard being the astute man that he is picked up on it. Walking over to the crib Sheppard slid his hand over the smooth finish. "These are nice," he turned to look at Ronon as he spoke. "Top of the line and engraved, too." He watched Ronon's eyes darken and the man lowered his head. Something about these gifts had upset his friend, but what could it have been?

Glancing back at the crib and tracing the carved letters of the name in the headboard he spoke again, "Yeah, strange thing. The whole base is talking about it…a large shipment of children's things just appeared in the middle of the Athosian Village on the mainland. It was like Christmas day. No note or anything." John watched for any reaction he could find in Ronon and was rewarded when the big man thrust from his seat on the bed to pace back and forth. "Who ever bought this stuff…they spent a small fortune, maybe all they had earned in the last few years."

"Why would she do that," Ronon demanded.

"Why would who do what," Shepard asked innocently. He knew who had purchased all those children's things. If he hadn't looked at the requisition chits from the Daedilus' return trip he would still have known Doctor Novak was the mysterious Santa, because Charetta immediately told Teyla about Doctor Novak and her visit to Ronon's quarters the day before.

"Doctor Novak," he growled, "why would a woman spend her hard earned pay on children she doesn't even know. Children that have nothing to do with her."

Sheppard sighed. He had hoped Ronon didn't have anything to do with why he was listening to Rodney complain, but it was obvious that he was smack dead center of the problem. "I don't know, especially not with her rescinding her request to become part of the engineering staff that would be trying to back-engineer the ZPM." Ronon stopped and his head came around slowly to face Sheppard.

"I thought she was part of the Daedilus crew," Ronon stated quietly.

"Oh, she is right now, but once the Gate-Bridge is complete the Daedilus isn't going to be doing its trips back and forth quite so much and Rodney asked Doctor Novak to consider transferring to his team here on Atlantis. The funny thing is she was really excited about the transfer and then last night Rodney and Elizabeth both got very short and even sweet e-mails asking to be released from the obligation so that she can go back to Earth." Sheppard watched Ronon as he finished speaking and he saw understanding dawn on the big man's face. "You wouldn't happen to know why Doctor Novak would resign a position that would be a challenge and a benefit to all mankind, do you?"

"I," Ronon sighed heavily, "I think…" Ronon turned to look Sheppard in the eye before he continued. "I think I might have hurt her feelings last night." Sheppard simply raised an eyebrow and waited for Ronon to finish.

"I was pissed last night because of that mud ball Rodney made us walk through and I have barely been able to escape the prowling women on this base. I was frustrated about being late and missing dinner with Libbie and Kylon and when I walked in there was all this stuff. I thought she bought these things for the kids because she didn't think I was doing a good enough job taking care of them." He said as he began to pace again.

"That isn't reason enough to throw away a career making position," John prompted when Ronon was silent for too long.

"I was very angry," Ronon reiterated as he faced John with a glare. "When she denied thinking I wasn't doing a good job I…" He fell silent and when he continued his voice was very low, "I asked if the gifts were payment for entrance to my bed."

John's brows raised all the way to his messy hair line and he blinked slowly. Surely he had heard Ronon wrong. Laughing it off John spoke in an incredulous tone, "Run that by me again…I didn't quite here that, it sounded like you said you asked her if she was buying her way into your bed, but that can't be." When Ronon simply met his gaze steadily Sheppard groaned, "Son-of-a-bitch."

Now it was John's turn to pace. "I can say this for you when you screw up, you screw up big. Do you have any idea what…I mean…how…" John stopped pacing as he searched for a word that meant bad that was big enough to describe how bad what he said was, "There is no word big enough to describe what you did."

"I'm going to apologize," John just stared at the man as though he had just grown a second head.

"Apologize," John asked. "Ronon you basically called her a tramp and you basically told her the only way she could get in your bed is if she paid for it."

"I have been dealing with a lot of the women here on the base and you would be surprised at the things some of them will do to get me to notice them." Ronon hissed defensively.

"You said she was different than the others," John reminded him. "You told me that you wished that the others would back off and then you casually mentioned the way Doctor Novak seemed different and that she genuinely liked Libbie and Kylon."

"She is different," Ronon gritted out in frustration. "I was just jealous…alright…I came back from planet hell and when I got here Kylon was sleeping in this nice new bed and Libbie was laughing and giggling with her and I was upset that she'd been here with them when I was stuck in the mud listening to Rodney whine about his ruined equipment."

"Well," Sheppard said as he slowly made his way to the door. "We aren't going to go through the gate until day after tomorrow. I suggest you find her and apologize." When he reached the door he stopped and sighed turning around. "I did some checking about why a rational woman like Doctor Novak would spend so much money on children she doesn't even know. When she was less than a year old her parents were killed in a car accident. She grew up in a home for children that have no family. My guess is that she felt a connection to these kids." Then he left his friend to his thoughts and went in search of Teyla he was piloting her over to the mainland to help with the distribution of the children's items. Ronon was in a position that he didn't envy that was for sure.

Rodney just stared at Ronon as if he had lost his mind, "I'm sorry, but have you lost your mind," he demanded.

"No," Ronon glared at his team mate. "Just e-mail her and tell her you won't accept her withdrawal from the program unless she comes and speaks with you and Doctor Weir in person. I need to speak to her and she hasn't been in the city since last night."

"It's you," Rodney accused his eyes narrowing. "You are the reason she wants out. What the hell did you do to her, she is usually such a rational person when she isn't afflicted with the hiccoughs."

"It doesn't matter," Ronon ground out, "Just get her here."

"Why should I," Rodney asked petulantly.

"Because when we go back to that mud pit you call a planet I will carry all the useless equipment you didn't bring last time because it was too heavy." Rodney's eyes lit up.

"When do you want her here," he inquired as he made a mental list of all the equipment Ronon was going to be carrying the day after tomorrow.

The Apology?

Lindsey was angry. She had tried to reason with Doctor McKay, but he wouldn't budge. So, here she was making her way all the way from the south-east pier to McKay's lab. She had hoped he would just take it for granted that she had changed her mind, but no, Doctor McKay couldn't do that. The ego-centric destroyer of worlds.

Passing her hand over the door panel to the lab she tapped her foot while she waited for the door to slide open and then just barged in, "Doctor McKay…" she began but stopped when it wasn't Rodney McKay standing just inside the door. Pulling herself up short she folded her arms over her chest and fought the need to hiccough. "What are you doing here? Where is Doctor McKay?"

"I needed to talk to you," he said his face impassive. "And Rodney is on the mainland with just about everyone else helping build larger houses for the families that took in the Sandyt children."

Lindsey just nodded and turned to leave. She had barely made it one step before she felt his strong fingers grasping her arm and turning her around. "I said I wanted to talk to you."

Glaring at him Lindsey pulled her arm out of his grasp, "Well, that is just too darned bad, because I don't want to hear what you have to say."

Ronon's eyes narrowed, "You are going to listen…one way or another."

"Make me," she sneered as she turned on her heel and headed for the door again. This time when he grasped her arm and turned her back to face him he bent low and put his shoulder to her belly before standing up with her basically hanging upside down over his shoulder. "Put me down," she shrieked.

"No," Ronon said simply a he carried her literally kicking and screaming through Atlantis to his quarters.

Having cursed him in all the Earth languages she knew Lindsey started in using some of the more colorful Asgard that she'd picked up from Hermiod since he began working with her on the Daedilus. None of it phased this man as he carried her through Atlantis like a sack of potatoes.

She'd even tried to pummel him, but he'd simply slapped her ass and told her to settle down. He'd stunned her for a second and she had stopped everything; kicking and screaming, hitting and cursing. Of course when she'd shaken it off and levered herself upward to try and figure out where he was taking her, she'd come eye to eye with the astonished face of Courtney.

At first Courtney had looked stunned, but then she'd started to laugh and gesture wildly at her friends. All of whom had stopped to watch her be unceremoniously schlepped down the corridor, that was when she started cursing in Asgard.

It was also when she discovered the array of knives hidden in secret pockets sewn into his leather cloths. She wasn't sure if it was her body going completely still upon discovery of the hidden blades or if he could feel them being plucked from hiding, but when she had pulled the first two out and dropped them in their wake he smacked her ass. As the third and forth blade hit the floor he began cursing and when she wrapped her hands around blades six and seven getting ready to also drop them in their path, like shiny breadcrumbs, he'd growled, "If you know what is good for you, you'll keep those two, you might be needing them."

When they reached his quarters he dumped her in the en suite, "Sit down and shut up," then he had left. That was somewhere about ten minutes ago and even though He Man had taken the control crystal from the door on the outside, she was an engineer. Using one of the blades to bridge the crystals on the control box inside the bathroom.

When the door slid open she literally whooped for joy. It was short lived, because there sitting on his bed twirling one of the blades she'd liberated was Ronon Dex with a self-satisfied smirk on his face.

Ronon barely made it back to his quarters in time to watch Lindsey escape from his bathroom. Though he gave her the impression he had been waiting there for some time on her to get the door unlocked. She was smart, but unlike Rodney she didn't clobber him with her knowledge. When she'd found his knives he's felt a momentary fear, that she might use them on him.

It wasn't so much that she would have hurt him as much as he had been afraid she might inadvertently hurt herself. When he'd heard the first thunk of knife blades hitting the deck, he'd felt his temper spike. He had to admire her determination as she systematically tried to disarm him, but little did she know that he had knives hidden in more than just his leather pants. He had discovered long ago that carrying three obvious weapons and a multitude of hidden weapons guaranteed that he would never be defenseless.

He'd almost felt bad about spoiling her good mood when he heard how happy she was when she was successful in bridging the crystals and opened the door. She had taken one step through the door seen him and then started cursing in that weird language again.

Lindsey was tired, she had cursed him six ways to Sunday and she was tired of pacing. Finally, deciding she'd had enough she started for the door.

"You won't be getting out," Ronon's deeply amused voice announced, "I had security protocols initiated for my quarters. Even your quick brain won't get that door open."

She stopped mid-stride and spoke tiredly without turning around, "What do you want? Where are the children? And why the hell did you have to embarrass me by carrying me through the halls like a caveman?"

"You weren't going to listen in McKay's lab and it wasn't my territory. The best place to fight is on your own ground, gives you the advantage." Ronon explained seriously as though he were teaching her an important lesson. "McKay was the obvious choice for luring you in, but it wasn't the best place to wage the war. John and Teyla took the kids to the mainland for the day. We will join them after we talk and it wasn't my intention to embarrass you as much as sort of use you to rid myself of the unwanted attention that led to my bad mood and apologize for the hurtful things I said last night."

Lindsey turned to face him her arms clasped around her waist, "What do you mean use me to get rid of unwanted attention?"

"You had to have noticed I can't make a move without women coming out of the wood work since I brought Libbie and Kylon home."

"Yes, but what does that have to do with me," she asked incredulously.

"It was part of the reason I was so angry last night," he told her, "I have spent the last year and a half on Atlantis and there were two types of women that paid any attention to me as a man; the ones that thought I was okay to look at but too primitive to touch and the ones that thought I was okay to fuck, but not to talk to. That is why I have not made any connections here, even though I am no longer a threat because of the wraith."

"The children changed that," Lindsey said as she thought about what he said.

"Yeah," he stood up and gently pulled the blades from her fingers before she could fiddle with it and get hurt. "All of a sudden both camps have decided that I might be worthy of attention. The worst is the 'old he's fuck able but unworthy' group. No matter how many ways I send them packing they can't grasp that I am actually not interested."

"I am guessing that is why you carried me passed the infirmary and Courtney."

"Yeah, she is a soul-sucking bitch on level with that wraith queen we met a few months back."

"I am still confused about how I am going to help you," Lindsey shook her head, "Courtney won't see me as a threat, I mean, hell she probably doesn't even know my name even though her quarters were across from mine on her way to Pegasus."

"You're a woman," Ronon said as though that was answer enough.

"Glad you noticed, but like you there are two groups of people…men and women in both…that see me." Lindsey said as she held up two fingers. "The first are the people that see me for my brain, but can't relate to me because I am so far outside their realm of experience and then there are the people that don't see me at all."

Ronon frowned, "Of course they see you. You are here."

Lindsey would have laughed if it wasn't so damned sad, "You honestly think that people know I exist?"

"Of course they know you exist," he frowned at her.

"I have been on the Daedilus for two years and three and a half months and the only person that talks to me on more than a superficial level is Hermiod and he doesn't count because he isn't human." She smiled sadly and shook her head. "I ate breakfast every morning at the same time here on Atlantis and no one else that happened in even bothered to strike up a conversation."

"That isn't true," Ronon said quietly. He was finally getting to see why she was so sad that first day. "I talked to you."

"No," she laughed softly and shook her head. "You would have left me there alone at my table if Libbie hadn't run over and taken the chance from you."

Ronon frowned, "Your right," he admitted, "but it was because I didn't want to disturb you, not because I didn't know you were there."

Lindsey simply nodded, deciding to let him live with his delusion. "So, is that the extent of my apology or do you actually plan to say the words?"

Ronon smiled at her straight forward way of dealing with him, "That was simply the explanation for why I said what I said. I figured if I told you why I said it, you might go easy on me and actually forgive me," Ronon took her hand in his and met her eyes. "When I said what I said I was angry and frustrated," stated quietly and yet firmly. "I was upset that Rodney had dragged me through mud for hours and I was going to be too late to keep Libbie and Kylon from spending the night on the mainland. I got back and saw these beautiful things here and I felt bad, because I didn't think to do more than make pallets for the children. I had been dealing with tittering women for weeks and I let what they had been putting me through spill over onto you because I was jealous."

"Jealous," Lindsey asked as he stroked his thumb over the back of her hand.

"Libbie was laughing with you," Ronon shrugged.

"Libbie laughs all the time," Lindsey pointed out.

"I didn't say I was rational." He admitted with a furrowed brow. "I just kind of boiled over last night."

Lindsey considered that for a moment, "I'll forgive you for boiling over, but the next time you toss me over your shoulder to give Courtney a show I am going to stab you in the ass with one of your own blades."

"You wouldn't," Ronon stated disbelievingly.

"I would and then I will laugh my ass off," she said in matter of fact tone. "I bet Courtney would kill for the chance to put your stitches in."

Stunned Ronon couldn't help but laugh, "You aren't that heartless, Lindsey Novak."

"I can be when I have to be," she said smiling as she sat down on Libbie's bed. "So, I have forgiven you, you can tell Rodney I will be staying and to stop hassling you."

Ronon moved and sat on his bed across from Lindsey. "That isn't why I apologized, though I am sure Rodney would never have let me live down losing him one of his scientists."

"So," she said as she plucked at the lace ruffle on Libbie's sheets, "I am sorry I made you think you weren't doing enough for the kids. I just intended to get them a gift or two, but when I arrived at the stores…" She let her voice trail off.

"If I was in a better frame of mind I wouldn't have jumped to conclusions," he said as he leaned over and smoothed one of his large hands over the soft cream colored material. "These are beautiful and they are perfect for her and they go well with the fur and leather coverings. Thank you."

"Your welcome, Ronon." She said quietly as she watched his large rough looking hand smooth the ruffled edge of the sheet.

"Sheppard said that these beds were expensive," he said quietly without looking at her. "He also said that you must have spent all you have in your world to purchase these things."

"Colonel Sheppard says too much," Lindsey twisted her lips as she spoke.

"Yes," Ronon agreed and his hand stilled as his once more intense eyes met hers. "He also said that you are alone in this life is that true?"

Lindsey felt her stomach lurch, she was going to have a little talk with Colonel Sheppard when she saw him next. Sighing she closed her eyes and was startled when she felt Ronon's fingers on her own. Opening her eyes she found his serious eyes regarding her waiting for her answer. "Yes, it is true. I grew up in a home that cares for orphaned children. I don't remember my parents. I can remember just wanting one thing that was mine alone and not communal."

"Sheppard says there are billions of people on your planet," he spoke quietly his thumb stroking her palm in what she was sure was supposed to be a soothing gesture, but that was reeking havoc with her body.

Ronon continued stroking her soft skin, it was a shock for him to realize he liked the feel of her satiny flesh against his. It had been too long since he had felt the more gentle side of female companionship. In seven years running he had known women, but usually it was more about sexual dominance. Those experiences had been frenzied and hard, only about releasing tension. This reminded him of the pleasure to be had in the hands of a loving woman. A gentle and kind sort of loving he hadn't known since Malana. "How could you have been left to a home?"

"I had medical problems," she said. "Everyone wants a baby, but I was injured in the accident that killed my parents. I was in casts that covered my legs and the doctors didn't know if I would mend properly. People on Earth want perfection."

"That is their loss," Ronon said as he squeezed her hand one last time and the released it with a smile. "They could have had the two B's…"

Lindsey was confused, "The two B's?"

"Yeah, a month or so ago we had a visitor from one of the planets we visited. He told Doctor weir she was beautiful and brilliant."

Lindsey rolled her eyes at that, "Let's not over state things, okay?"

"I wasn't," Ronon said as he stood up. "I was planning to go to the mainland and help with the building, would you like to come and help distribute the things you purchased for the children?"

"I don't know," she hedged. "I -"

Ronon held out his hand to her, "Am I going to have to carry you through the city again so soon. People will talk."

Smirking Lindsey took his hand and he helped her up. "People are already talking after that 'He Man' stunt earlier. You do it again and they might assume it is some sort of Satedan mating ritual."

"Only if you stab me in the ass," he told her with a smile, "then you'd be bound to me for life." Without letting go of her hand he led her out of his room.

"You are just trying to save your ass by scaring me," she laughed. "But there may come a time when stabbing you in the ass will be worth being bound."

Ronon laughed, "I'm sure you are right, but just so you know when that time comes, I'd rather bleed to death than have Courtney practice her crafts on me."

Laughing they entered the jumper bay and found a crowd waiting to be ferried to the mainland and as luck would have it, Courtney and her entourage were among them. Lindsey was surprised to see so many of Courtney's set heading to the mainland to help build, then she heard someone mention a celebration and bon fire. Evidently, Doctor Weir had decided that everyone needed a little R&R and decided on an impromptu picnic.

While they waited Ronon silently held her hand and resisted her attempts to withdrawal it from his grasp. When the next group left the jumper bay and all that was left were Lindsey and Ronon and Courtney and her group, Ronon lead her to one of the crates and they sat down.

When they were seated on the crate away from the others, Ronon stared at their joined hands and then slid his thumb over her palm again. He was enjoying the leap in her blood when ever he did it. She was breathing more shallow than usual and he was sure that she thought he hadn't noticed. He was about to speak, when a shadow crossed their legs and he looked up to find Courtney standing before them.

She had on one of her poisonous smiles and she didn't even glance at Lindsey, "Well, hello there, Ronon."

Ronon just stared at the woman unscrupulously. She didn't seem deterred, "Are you going to the mainland?"

Ronon looked around at the other people waiting for the next jumper, "Would I be in the Jumper bay if I wasn't?" Courtney giggled at that and Ronon rolled his eyes and turned away from her.

Looking at Lindsey he found her chewing her bottom lip and not looking at anything, but his hand absently stroking hers. With a slight frown he placed their joined hands on his thigh and using his other hand to lift Lindsey's face with gentle fingers on her chin. "You okay," he asked.

She smiled a smile that didn't reach her eyes and nodded, "Yeah, I'm fine."

Ronon frowned before standing up jostling Courtney out of the way and leading Lindsey a few feet away and out of ear shot of the others. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Lindsey answered perturbed.

Ronon's frown deepened and he used their joined hands to pull her around to face him, "I don't buy it, tell me what is wrong."

Lindsey felt the urge to hiccough but she squelched it down. Looking at their joined hands now resting on Ronon's chest over his heart she said quietly, "I just…"she stopped and then met his eyes and said with an almost desperate tone to her voice. "You have to stop touching me."

Ronon was confused, "Don't try and tell me you don't like holding my hand, I can feel your blood quicken under my fingers."

Lindsey felt herself flush, there was no hiding from him, "I didn't say I don't like it." She conceded, "I just said you have to stop. I can't think rationally enough to understand this," she raised their joined hands, "is just to get rid of Courtney."

When Ronon understood what she was saying he felt anger flare in his chest and he used their still joined hands to pull her a step closer as he leaned down so they were face to face and spoke fiercely, "This is not to get rid of Courtney. Did it ever occur to you that it isn't only your blood that jumps when I stroke your flesh?"

Lindsey's eyes widened and her breath caught at his admission. Stunned she shook her head and stammered out, "I don't do that to men."

Pulling her close he lifted her hand to his neck and pressed her fingers to his pulse, "I'm not other men," he whispered darkly. His right hand lifted to her throat and his fingers slid around the thin column and he watched her eyes flare and felt her blood thrum more quickly through her veins and he knew she felt his blood do the same. "You have such soft skin," he murmured, "and I touch it for me, because I have a need that doesn't include Courtney in any way shape or form."

Lindsey blinked languidly, her dilated eyes slightly unfocused. Her breathing was rapid and shallow, and he found himself wanting to unfasten the bulky flight suit she wore and stroke his hands down the silky skin of her throat to what lay beneath.

When she didn't acknowledge his words he stepped closer and towered over he slight form, "Understand?" He watched as she thought for a moment and then nodded. "Do you still want me to stop touching you," he asked in a husky murmur.

Lindsey was sure she was going to wake up any moment back aboard the Daedilus having fallen asleep. If not she was going to make the most of the moment, just in case Ronon came to his senses later. Her eyes left his and moved slowly to his throat where he clasped her hand. Sliding her fingers from his she felt him still waiting for her answer. Instead of saying anything she found the tiny tattoo on his neck and stroked it with her fingertips.

She felt Ronon stop breathing and his fingers on her throat spasm as he instinctively stepped closer to her, "I'm going to take that as a 'no'," his voice was low and rough as he spoke.

Tilting her head so that she could meet his gaze she smiled and replied, "You do that."

When he started to lean closer to her she was sure he was about to kiss her, but they were rudely interrupted by the return of the puddle jumper and Courtney's loud and obnoxious voice, "Come on Ronon, there is room for one more."

Lindsey couldn't stop herself from giggling happily when Ronon growled in response. "Yeah, come on Ronon, your fans await."

"That isn't as funny as you think it is," he scowled at her as they walked back toward the puddle jumper.

"I don't know I think the way you growl is cute," she said as she skipped a step ahead of him, but not too far because he still held her hand.

When they reached the others it was to hear Carson's perturbed voice, "Now, I asked you ladies to have a seat in the rear compartment."

"But Doctor Beckett," Courtney's voice echoed slightly through the jumper bay, "There are two seats open up front with you."

"Tha's right an' they are reserved," the usually congenial Doctor snapped. "So, why donna' ya get your self in the back where I told ya to sit."

Lindsey watched as a put out Courtney slinked to the back and flopped down on one of the bench seats. She had to admit that there was a spiteful part of her that was cheering for Carson and that she had enjoyed watching the display.

"Ah, there ya are, Love." Carson said a large smile on his face as he moved forward and took her free hand, "I have ya a seat right up front with me." Seeing Ronon's hand in hers he smiled at him as well, "You too Ronon. Now on you go, so we can get a move on there is a day o' fun an adventure ahead."

As they made there way through the crowded back compartment Ronon released her hand and she felt slightly bereft, until she felt both his hands settle on her shoulders and steady her as she made her way to her seat. Courtney was muttering and complaining about the bench seat. Once she was seated he sat down to her left and grinned at her, she had a look on her face that spoke of her enjoyment of Courtney's plight.

He was enjoying this as much as she was, but his eyes lost all amusement when he heard the things the bitch was saying to her gaggle of crones. Glancing quickly over at Lindsey he realized that he alone could hear what was being said, he would have to deal with Courtney before she hurt Lindsey.

When Lindsey turned and met his gaze she gave him a happy smile that lit up his heart. It had been a long time since he had tender thoughts toward a woman. He had been softening up more and more since his return to Sateda. Many ghosts were laid to rest and he felt lighter than he had in years. Libbie and Kylon also helped him. He hadn't thought at all in the last seven years about becoming a father, but he had fallen in love with Rath's children almost immediately. He truly wasn't sure he would have been ready for them if he hadn't buried the past amongst the rubble and debris of Sateda and he stopped short of being thankful to that wraith for forcing the cathartic experience on him. After all helping him hadn't been the life-sucking vermin's goal.

"So, I hear your gonna be joinin' us on Atlantis on a more permanent basis," Carson said as he piloted the puddle jumper out and across the waters to the mainland. Carson, Laura and Lindsey chatted back and forth holding a tentative conversation during the thirty minute trip.

When they arrived Ronon was immediately put upon by the men to help dig holes for the tent posts to be set in. Evidently, they were not only expanding some of the houses they were building a tent to be used in the education of the young.

Having spent so much time with the Expedition on Atlantis, Teyla recognized the need to expand her peoples horizons. Yes, they were hunters and farmers, but that may not always be so. It was her goal to see that the next generation had all the tools they needed to step boldly into their future.

Lindsey was hurried off to help some of the other women who were busily stitching large sheets of well oiled leather together. This would be the outer covering of the settlements new additions. When Lindsey found Charetta among them, with Kylon and Libbie beside her, she went straight to Charetta.

"Ah, Lindsey," Charetta said and stood to give her the Athosian greeting. "I am glad you could come…it is a fine day is it not?"

Lindsey smiled and returned the gesture, "It is indeed." Libbie hearing Lindsey's voice turned and launched herself at her. Lindsey laughed and hugged her as she swung the little girl in a small circle. Smiling she gave Libbie a loud kiss on the cheek. "I missed you are you having fun?"

Libbie laughed and nodded as she squirmed to be put down. Charetta watched the young woman and then came to a decision, much like last nights. "Child I wonder if you would mind taking Kylon for a while. He is growing fat and I am not as young as I once was."

"Sure," Lindsey replied. She had been hoping to get to spend time with him as well. Charetta smiled and began unwinding the sling from her frame when she stopped and looked at Lindsey strangely. "What?"

"Are you not hot in your garments," Charetta asked eyeing the long sleeves and long pant legs of the heavy material. Lindsey looked down, she had forgotten she was dressed in her flight suit, she felt suddenly embarrassingly over dressed. Noticing her discomfort Charetta patted her arm, "Not to worry, come with me."

Soon Lindsey found herself changed into an halter style shirt and skirt that was remarkably similar to one of Teyla's sparring outfits, but it was made of shimmering copper colored material instead of leather. Her clunky shoes were replaced by thin leather sandals and Charetta had talked her into letting her hair down as well and it fell to her shoulders. Charetta helped her with the sling and she now held his sleeping form against her chest.

For a while she sat learning the correct way to stitch leather together to ensure the elements would remain outside and not find there way in. She got the hang of it pretty quickly and enjoyed the conversation of the other women in the group. It seemed most of the group were older women and those with children. After an hour or so Charetta handed her a bucket filled with water and three long handled ladles and asked her to take it to the men.

Lindsey stepped out of the tent into the bright sun shine bucket in one hand and Libbie toddling along holding the other. It wasn't the most comfortable of positions and Lindsey now understood why Ronon carried the girl on his shoulders all the time. It was only a bit of a walk to where the men were working and as she approached Lindsey had plenty of time to watch Ronon work.

He had removed his shirt and used the front part of his hair to restrain the rest at the back of his head. His back and chest glistened in the sun slicked with sweat. His muscles tightened and relaxed beneath his skin as he labored. He was extremely attractive in his low slung leather trousers. She was still a fair distance from the men when he straightened and used one of his arms to wipe sweat from his face.

When he saw her, he smiled and tossed his shovel away, before walking to meet her. When he reached her he scooped up Libbie and plopped her onto his shoulders. He never took his eyes off of Lindsey and she was beginning to feel self conscious, "What," she found herself asking for the second time that day.

"I've just never seen you in anything, but your uniform." Ronon said as he ran his eyes over her.

"It was hot," she said in explanation.

Ronon simply nodded in agreement and took the bucket from her and retrieving a ladle of water. He drank great gulps and water sloshed over the sides of the ladle and splashed onto his chest. Lindsey was mesmerized by the water and followed its path with thirsty eyes. When he put the ladle back into the bucket the spell was broken and she glanced back up into Ronon's amused eyes. "You're pretty," was all he said.

Lindsey blushed, a happy smile on her lips. Ronon shifted the bucket to his other hand and took her hand gently pulling her closer. She was lost to the world as she watched Ronon lean into her and she was sure he was going to kiss her, but they were unceremoniously pulled from their almost kiss by a loud voice, "Hey, no fair hogging all the water!"

Jerking away from Ronon, Lindsey glanced around to find all the men watching them and a widely smiling John Sheppard standing his hands on his hips. He was also without a shirt as were most of the men and though he was quite handsome Lindsey couldn't seem to do more than notice. 'Damn,' she thought, 'Ronon Dex, a man who hadn't even kissed her yet, had already ruined any chance of another man ever taking his place.'

Ronon growled and made a mental note to be sure and interrupt Sheppard and Teyla the next time they decide to have a late night 'sparring' session in the gym. When he'd seen Lindsey walking toward him, her skirt fluttering in the breeze, Libbie holding her hand and Kylon nestled in his sling on her chest, he'd felt his heart stop for a moment. Before he knew it he was wearing a sappy smile and his brain was saying things like Lindsey was beautiful and that she fit. Fit with him and with Libbie and Kylon.

When everyone had there fill of the water, Lindsey took the children and the empty bucket back to the tent. Having finished with the tent covering the women were concentrating on preparing food for the celebration to begin just before dark.

A woman named Kadi was instructing Lindsey, who had never cooked a day in her life, in the preparation of tuttle root soup. Teyla joined them shortly after the preparations began and Lindsey laughed at the horrified faces of the Athosian women when their leader expressed a desire to help. It was an older woman that smiled and patted Teyla's cheek as she assured the woman that though her tuttle root soup was legend she could just sit and enjoy the fellowship.

As they worked the women taught her Athosian songs and even though she had been timid, butchering the words on occasion she found that the women were not cruel and instead smiled and corrected her when she made a mistake.

By the time the sun was on it's downward arch Lindsey was exhausted. Libbie had been a bouncing, bubbling tower of energy and she had been carrying Kylon's weight for many hours while she bent over cutting, cleaning the tuttle root and the other ingredients for the soup.

Now, her soup was simmering over the fire and her back ached from the extra weight.

Giving her soup another quick stir she straightened and arched her back, letting her head fall backward stretching her aching muscles. Using her arms to support Kylon and take the strain off her back. She was startled when she felt Ronon's strong hands grasp her bare waist, where the halter top ended, and his thumbs begin to press into her aching lower back. It felt so good that she had to bite back a moan of pleasure.

He moved so that he was close to her back and let his fingers massage her aching back, soothing her. "Come on," he said his voice deep and rough and he turned her about and unwound the sling taking Kylon's weight from her and slipped the sling across his own chest.

"I can't go I'm cooking," Lindsey protested when he scooped Libby up onto his shoulders and grasped her hand to lead her out of the tent. Charetta watched with a happy smile and waved them out the door.

"I will watch your soup," she laughed as she gave the soup a stir. "See these old hands are still of use."

Lindsey smiled and shook her head as he led her out of the tent and into the clearing where many of the Atlantis crew were already setting up camp sites around a smoldering bon fire. Athosian men stood nearby preparing large sections of meat to go into the flames.

Lindsey was surprised when Ronon lead her to a pallet he set up near the rest of his team. Once she was seated Libbie plopped down beside her and laid her head in Lindsey's lap. Ronon laid Kylon beside her and then settled behind her, his large hands massaging her shoulders. It was unnerving at first Ronon massaging her shoulders while his team mates laughed and joked about the mud planet incident.

She was quite relaxed by the time Sheppard told about watching Ronon stalk out of the shower room wearing only a towel and the fact that when he and Rodney left the showers the hall was littered with stunned woman all staring into space.

Ronon had chuckled behind her and the movement of his chest vibrated through her back, where she now rested against him. "You two need to tell better lies," Ronon's amused voice sounded relaxed and warm each word stirring her hair. Before long Libbie climbed into Lindsey's lap and Kylon was nestled between her thigh and Ronon's muscular calf. Instead of massaging her, his fingers rested on her shoulders and rhythmically slid up and down the column of her neck.

Rodney delighting in the fact that Ronon was taking most of the ribbing smiled at Lindsey, "So, I take it the caveman made amends for what ever he did to upset you."

Lindsey boneless and relaxed was on the verge of sleep when Rodney addressed her. Startled she nodded, "Yes, he made amends. However, I think I need to have a talk with you and Colonel Sheppard about the part the two of you played in his apology when we get back to Atlantis." She smiled and stretched with a big yawn, "I'm too tired to yell at the moment."

"Yell," Rodney questioned disconcerted.

"Yes," she nodded. "Don't worry I'll take it easy on you."

"I have never seen you yell, Doctor Novak," Rodney informed her with an imperious air, "in all the years we worked together you were one of the most even tempered scientists I ever worked with."

"She yells alright," Ronon informed them his deep voice sounding amused and oddly proud. "She yelled things at me I had never heard before and after that she cursed me in some language that sounded like gibberish."

"Asgard," Lindsey informed them. "I called you a hard headed, knuckle dragging human that could barely walk upright."

"Hey," was Ronon's indignant reply.

"I love it," Rodney hooted as he laughed. "A hard headed, knuckle dragging…is right. Where ever did you pick that one up?"

"Actually, I heard Hermiod say it in reference to you on more than one occasion." She informed Rodney who frowned. "And don't hey me, Ronon Dex, you slung me over your shoulder like a Neanderthal, you deserved it."

"He slung you over his shoulder," was Teyla's outraged cry.

"Yeah, can you believe that?"

"What did you do," Teyla asked as she turned narrowed eyes on Ronon.

"I discovered his secret cache of knives and started dropping them in the hall. I thought he would put me down to retrieve his precious knives," she gently elbowed him in the ribs. "Instead he told me I might need the knives I had in my hand, dumped me in his en suite, jammed the sensor and then went to get the discarded weapons. He was right I did need the knife."

"You know," Colonel Sheppard called from his spot beside Teyla, "when I spoke to you this morning and suggested you might need to do more than apologize it never occurred to me you would just toss her over your shoulder and carry her off to your room. Teyla would have shot me if I tried that."

"She wouldn't listen and I had to do something," Ronon protested in his defense. Teyla was still frowning at him. "Come on Teyla you know that it is better to fight on familiar ground. That way you control every aspect of the fight."

"Don't worry," Lindsey told Teyla. "I told him next time he tries that stunt I am going to stab him in the ass with one of the myriad blades he has concealed all over his body." Teyla was still frowning, but was happy Lindsey had not let such treatment pass unchecked.

"He jammed the sensor," Rodney seemed surprised. "How did you get out?"

"I used the blade to bridge the crystals and the door opened," she snapped her fingers, "like that."

Lindsey shifted the sleeping child in her lap and stroked her curls while she listened to the team bicker back and forth. Rodney seemed to be the butt of their good natured ribbing, and even though he complained he still had a smile on his face as he gave as good as he got. Smiling Lindsey closed her eyes listening to the give and take of their banter.

She'd never felt this comfortable within a large group so quickly, she thought as she rested against Ronon in that ephemeral place between being awake and being asleep. She was aware of what was going on around her; Rodney and Colonel Sheppard were playing some mental math game and Sheppard was actually holding his own against the cocky scientist. Teyla was conversing with Ronon, as she feed the hungry baby a bottle. Ronon's fingers were still stroking Lindsey's neck and Libbie was beginning to stir from her short nap.

Rousing herself from her trance-like state Lindsey opened her eyes. It had grown dim while she rested and the women were carrying the pots of prepared food out to the fire. Haling and the other men helped carry the heaviest of them, and the food was set up upon a large plank table.

Teyla finished feeding Kylon and laid him on the pallet beside them. Libbie was awake and sat quietly sucking her thumb as she watched the older children run and play. Lindsey shifted against Ronon again trying to get comfortable, but something hard; either a bottle in his pocket or one of his hidden weapons was making it difficult. Glancing over her shoulder she murmured, "Ronon, what is that poking me in the back?" Squirming she frowned when she couldn't get comfortable. "Just take whatever it is out of your pocket."

"There is nothing in my pocket," He whispered roughly into her ear. Lindsey was confused and it was too dark now to see his eyes clearly, but she could feel the stillness in his body. Her brow furrowed if there wasn't something in his pocket, then what was that poking- "-hiccup-"

Lindsey had never in her life been so acutely aware of anything as she was the hard ridge pressing into her lower back, which only served to heighten her awareness of her own body. It was a little unsettling when she realized that sometime while she'd dozed one of Ronon's hand had found the bare expanse of her belly and rested there.

It was a perfectly innocent touch, but his hand was so large that it covered her belly and with the fingers splayed like that it made her feel tiny and fragile, two things she had not felt since she was in the fourth grade and grew taller then the rest of the boys. Her belly quivered and she knew she had to get away if she had any hope of getting rid of her hiccoughs.

Ronon didn't protest or try and restrain her when she moved out of his hold, but he was quick to grab her hand when she made to stand up. He was not a man to be ashamed of his body and its needs, that Lindsey had been unnerved by his reaction to her was evident, but he would not allow her to run away from it. He continued his talk with Teyla and his hand linked to Lindsey's kept her at his side. Slowly he let his thumb stroke her palm soothingly and she relaxed.

When Haling announced it was time to feast the others of his team immediately got up to join the queue, but Ronon didn't budge. As soon as the others were far enough away he shifted around until he was facing Lindsey and gently tilted her chin up so that he could see her face. "I made you uncomfortable," he stated as a matter of fact.

She wouldn't meet his eyes, and she still had the hiccoughs. "What is most upsetting, Lindsey, that I find you desirable or that I am not alone in my desire?"

"Ronon, I-"

"I will tell you this," Ronon said when she simply closed her mouth and shook her head. "It is natural, these reactions our bodies are having to each other, but I will never do anything that will upset you. If you are uncomfortable with my desire for you I will not touch you in that way, but if it is fear of yourself I can not help you."

He stood up, his hand still holding hers as he finished speaking, "Think about what I said, Lindsey. I will bring food back for you and the children." Then he followed his team to stand in line for food leaving her to analyze what upset her the most. The truth was that she had been more afraid of causing Ronon discomfort than being upset by his reaction to holding her close. He had killed her anxiety with his straight forward admission of his desire.

When he returned several minutes later she was surprised to see him carrying enough food for a small army. Among the feast he had gathered was the half empty pot of tuttle root soup she'd made with the women's help earlier. Standing to help him sit the food out she could only shake her head and smile, "What," Ronon asked when he saw her reaction. "They were going to eat it all. I got it right out from under Rodney," he gave her a wolfish grin. "Besides he was taking too long."

Lindsey turned stunned eyes on Ronon, "Wonder if it tastes horrible, Ronon, I can't cook."

Ronon just shrugged and stirred the pot, sniffing at it he smiled, "It has a pleasant aroma and from what the women were saying it is better than Teyla's and she's been cooking it all her life."

"I heard that, Ronon." Teyla said as she sat down on the pallet she and the rest of Ronon's team were sitting on earlier. "I will have you know cooking tuttle root soup wasn't my first priority while I was growing up. I had other duties to attend to," she smiled at Lindsey as she moved and ladled some of her soup into a carved wooden bowl. "Charetta says that you made a fine soup."

Lindsey smiled as she watched Rodney try and take the ladle from Teyla, but was thwarted by Ronon, who was too slow to keep Sheppard from dishing soup into his own bowl with a second ladle he had taken from an empty pot at the table. She laughed out right when Ronon growled menacingly and snatched the pot out of his teams reach.

Lindsey took one of the empty plates Ronon brought them and began tearing bits of roasted meat and bread into bite sized pieces for Libbie. Lindsey was talking in an animated fashion exclaiming about how yummy the food looked so that the little girl was excited when her plate was finally within her grasp.

Getting another empty plate she began filling it for herself. The roast meat was flavorful and juicy and Lindsey closed her eyes enjoying the tastes. When she opened them again she found Ronon with Kylon lying on his back in Ronon's lap, while he dipped a large finger in the soup and let the baby suckle it clean. After repeating the process Ronon looked up a large happy smile on his lips, "He likes it."

"It is very good," Teyla agreed with a gentle smile. "Tuttle root soup is a favored dish among the Athosian children, also."

"I have to admit," Colonel Sheppard said as he spooned another bite into his mouth. "This is better than…" When Teyla turned a glare on him he stopped talking, smiled sheepishly and put another spoonful into his mouth.

"Yeah, well, I wouldn't know," Rodney complained. "I haven't gotten to taste it."

They all ate in companionable silence and reluctantly loaded into a puddle jumper when the air became too cool for the children.

The Ancients

Lindsey was numb as she made her way to Ronon's room, she'd been in the middle of preparing to move to her new quarters on Atlantis when word came down the line that the Ancient hitchhikers they had picked up were taking control of the city and forcing the Earth Expedition and Athosians from the planet. Contrary to protocol Lindsey had dropped what she was doing and left the Daedilus without permission.

She was nearly halfway through the city before her daze had cleared and she realized she hadn't even been aware of what she was doing. The halls that housed the crew quarters of Atlantis were flooded with similarly dazed crew members loaded down with their personal goods. The sight of two women embracing with tear stained cheeks ratcheted up Lindsey's tension and she found herself running the rest of the way to the familiar room.

When she arrived she found Ronon busy wrapping cloths and things in the leather bedding. His pensive countenance and the forceful way he tied the bindings to hold the bundles together made her breath hitch and tears spring to her eyes, "Ronon?"

At the sound of her voice he looked up and the stricken look on her face made something in him tighten and twist. He didn't know what to say so he simply dropped the things he had just finished bundling together and stretched his arms out in invitation. She didn't hesitate as she flew into them. She trembled and her breathing shuttered as she held him fiercely.

It had been three weeks since he held her this closely. After her initial response to his body that night at the bon fire, Ronon had taken a small step back giving her the chance to get used to the idea of something more.

Restraint was one of the things that took a backseat when the wraith made him a runner and his decision to exercise restraint where Lindsey was concerned had seemed like such a good idea, but now Ronon regretted that decision, because as he tightened his arms around her he wished he had kissed her. Now he had missed the opportunity.

He wasn't sure how long they stood there wrapped in each others arms, before Libbie woke up and toddled to their side. When her baby hand tugged on her pant leg, Lindsey wilted into a heap at his feet holding Libbie and rocking back and forth. Ronon was lost as to what he should do to help Lindsey after all she was doing what the rest of Atlantis wanted to do, mourning the loss of home.

When his door chimed he quietly opened it to find Rodney, Lorne, Sheppard and Teyla. They all looked like he felt, hell, and he didn't have the heart to turn them away. Turning to the side he noticed that Lindsey had calmed herself and moved to sit on the end of his bed cradling both Kylon and Libbie in her lap. It was obvious by the splotches on her face that she had been crying, but she turned a sad smile on the group as they entered.

"The ancestors have been good enough," Teyla's quietly spoken words were like shards of glass raining down on their hearts. Not even Teyla could believe the cold and unemotional way the Ancients were treating them all, but she continued on undaunted, "to provide us with a fine planet on which to settle. There is fresh water and game, as well as access to a stargate. We will be able to rebuild quite well there."

No one bothered to say that had the 'Ancestors' been the benevolent beings the Athosians believed they would not be forcing them to leave the home they had made here in the last three years. Lorne looked around and noticed that nearly everything had been packed up. "We thought we would help you move your things through to the new encampment," he gestured to the furniture Ronon had been dreading leaving behind.

"Haling and a few other of the men are setting up temporary lodgings to be used until something more permanent can be constructed." Teyla said her voice was sad and her eyes kept finding John's as she spoke. "They have already completed a small dwelling for you and the children."

Ronon was touched, "Thank you, Teyla." He tried to take Libbie from Lindsey's lap and help her don Kylon's sling but she wouldn't relinquish her hold on the tiny girl so, he arranged a double sling that allowed her to carry both of the children. She wouldn't be able to make a long trek with the extra weight, but at least she would be able to carry them to their new home.

Rodney was quiet as the others spoke, he knew how Lindsey was feeling. Neither one of them had felt as if they belonged anywhere until Atlantis. This city had done more for its inhabitants than simply give them shelter, it had given them purpose and a place to grow and become more.

Going back to Earth would be hard for the woman cradling those two babies to her chest, harder he thought than for the solitary scientist that gloated and preened over his accomplishments. Rodney didn't even complain when he helped Ronon carry the heavy crib through the halls of Atlantis and through the gate.

Which, was saying something, because the gate was a fair distance from the new settlement. It was early morning on the planet and the sun glistened on the dew covered grass, but the group didn't see the beauty, their hearts were too heavy. When they reached the settlement Haling, Jinto and Charetta met them with somber smiles.

Charetta smiled and stroked the curly heads peeking from the sling and greeted Lindsey with the Athosian greeting, "This way," she said quietly as she took Lindsey's hand and led her to a small leather covered dwelling. It was not much smaller than his quarters on Atlantis and it had a dividing curtain that would allow Ronon a bit of privacy at night.

He decided that the crib and bed would be put behind the curtain and he would sleep in the wide open main room. Ronon just felt it would be easier for him to guard the door if he was not behind the enclosure. When the furniture was in its place Lindsey took the time to lovingly make up each of the beds, while they went back for the last of the children's things. All of Ronon's things fit into one bundle, but the children, thanks to Lindsey, had quite a bit more.

The Words

Teyla found her quietly crying while she watched Libbie and Kylon play in Kylon's crib. Lindsey was a surprise to her. If someone had asked Teyla whom she thought Ronon would choice at Atlantis, she would never have even contemplated the timid scientist.

Ronon always seemed so intensely male and Teyla once believed he needed a more intense female, but not anymore. She had watched the angry, sullen man change in the last three months, into a settled and happy one.

He was still focused on destroying the wraith, but it wasn't the only thing he thought about anymore. He thought of curly hair with tiny bows and little feet still too young to walk upon and he thought of a quietly caring scientist and only seemed alive when she was near him.

Ronon was losing more than a home and an advantage against the wraith, just as she was…He was losing the one person he had grown to care for and it was a deeper hurt than either of them would be able to bare.

They had spoken with John earlier and she had asked him to stay with them here, but she had truly already known he could not. He had obligations and he couldn't just walk away from them, that was a bitter pill for her to bare.

Watching as the woman lovingly stroked the fur lining of Ronon's leather bed coverings Teyla had an epiphany. Lindsey was a scientist and was not in the military if someone asked her she might stay.

Stepping quickly from the tent without speaking to Lindsey, Teyla fairly ran to the gate and arrived to find Rodney and Lorne struggling with what could only be a mattress. While John and Ronon carried the children's chests.

The scene was sad in that Rodney still hadn't complained about the physical labor and no one smiled. When the men noticed her, and the hurry she was in, they all went on alert trying to find the obvious cause of her anxiety.

If it hadn't been so sad she might have found it endearing, "Ronon," she called hurriedly and she watched as tension contorted his face. "All is well," she panted, "please forgive me for causing you alarm, but I had to speak to you."

Ronon was slow to relax, but finally nodded and sat the chest on the ground, "Go ahead."

"You must ask her to stay," she said without explaining whom she was speaking of.

Ronon just frowned and shook his head, "There is nothing here for her, Teyla."

"I disagree," she said her eyes fierce. "Her family is here."

"Teyla," he protested, but even Rodney could see the hope that flared in the warrior's eyes.

"She has more here than you think," Teyla stated firmly. "You must say the words out loud, Ronon." Her eyes flicked from his to John's and back again. "Some of us have said them even knowing there was no chance. Think about it, because you should not have to lose more than is necessary in this lifetime."

With that she turned leaving them to carry the children's things alone and all four men silently watched her go. She was gone from sight when they finally started to follow her.

John Sheppard was the first to break the silence, "She's right, if I didn't have to deal with the Air Force I would be staying here, instead of leaving the only real family I have ever known." Ronon met the man's sad eyes and simply nodded. "Don't let your family slip from your fingers if you have the power to hold them together."

When they reached the settlement Rodney pulled Sheppard aside and asked him to help Lorne set up the rest of the furniture. Once the other two men were occupied Rodney approached Ronon, "You know it's strange the things we miss when we leave a place." He smiled sadly at Ronon, "Take me for example. Until I came to Atlantis I would have said the thing I would miss the most about Earth was my broadband internet connection and McDonald's French fries."

Ronon just remained silent, Rodney wasn't known for his personal connections, but every once in a while the man beneath the brain peeked out and he was profound and likable.

"The thing is Ronon," Rodney's voice was thick with emotion, "that what I missed most wasn't a faster internet connection or fried potatoes…it was my sister." Ronon turned to look at the man beside him and he could see how serious he was. "I knew Lindsey back on Earth. She was smart and funny; not as smart as me mind you, but there is a definite intelligence there. I thought I knew her. She had a sense of humor, but there was also a sadness in her. She was quiet and opinionated; nervous and neurotic and I never thought I would see her as happy as she has been these last couple weeks."

"What are you saying," Ronon asked.

Rodney took a deep breath, "I guess what I am saying is save her." He released his pent up breath. "Don't let her go back to being the woman no one notices and everyone dismisses as unimportant."

"Thank you," Ronon said his heart lifting as Rodney turned to look at him. On impulse he drew Rodney into a tight bear hug, which Rodney returned.

When he released him, Rodney stepped away and straightening his face muttered, "Enough mushy stuff where's the food. I'm starved."

Ronon wasn't sure what he should do and debated with himself about what was best for Libbie, Kylon and Lindsey. The Earth personnel left soon after they moved Ronon's things having many tasks left unfinished, yet Lindsey remained.

He watched her as she clung to the children and helped the Athosian's erect tents. It was a horrible parody of the building of the Athosian school and there was no feast when the village was finally set. Just a weary sadness mixed with relief at having the most important work finished.

It was late now and still Lindsey hadn't asked to be taken back to the gate. She sat around the camp fire and read aloud to all the children from the books she'd brought them from Earth. Slowly, the Athosians wandered off to their new homes and yet Lindsey made no attempt to go back to the gate. Lindsey had finally relented and allowed Charetta to take the children to their beds not long ago. Now, Ronon simply sat with her as she stared at the remnants of the fire.

The moon was high in the sky and the fire was mere embers when she finally turned to him and spoke softly, "I hate this."

Ronon had to agree and the sadness in her voice matched the sadness with in him at the thought of losing his new friends. "Sheppard said it sucked," he murmured.

Unexpectedly Lindsey burst out laughing, "he's right." She collapsed against his shoulder her body trembling at first with laughter and then with great racking sobs. Ronon wrapped her in his embrace and pulled her into his lap, rocking her gently as she had rocked Libbie and Kylon.

Her fingers balled the front of his shirt and she pressed her face into his neck as she took a shuttering breath, "I'm sorry," she murmured.

Ronon stared unseeing into the dying embers before him, absently he stroked her back. Taking a deep breath he made his decision, "You could stay here," he murmured back.

He'd spoken so quietly that he wasn't even sure she'd heard him until she froze. She wasn't even breathing, "Wha-," she stammered after a moment, "what did you say?"

Shifting her in his arms, he gently lifted her chin so that he was looking directly into her eyes. "I said, You could stay here."

"Really," she asked her eyes hopeful. She was so happy she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him.

"Really," Ronon nodded a large smile on his face. "Come on," he said as he tightened his hold and carried her through the makeshift village to the tent that would be their make-shift home.

When they entered, Charetta stood to her feet smiling indulgently at them as he released Lindsey to stand at his side. "The children slumber deeply," she informed Ronon and handed Lindsey a small bundle of white cloth. "I brought you something to sleep in. Rest well," she smiled knowingly and left.

Ronon opened the curtain that separated the children's sleeping area from the main room, "You can change in here tonight, after we return from Atlantis tomorrow I will scout a location for a more permanent dwelling."

Lindsey simply nodded and closed the curtain so she could change her cloths. When she came out a few moments later she found Ronon making a pallet on the floor a few feet away from the bed. She had to admit she was feeling a variety of emotions at the sight of a shirtless Ronon spreading out the fur bedding; relief, disappointment, happiness and frustration all coiled low in her belly.

Shyly she stepped from the children's room and placed her folded cloths on a low stool to her right. She watched as Ronon placed another log into the fire and then knelt to lay upon the fur pallet, but he stopped her, "You take the bed."

Startled at the rough timbre of his voice she whispered, "Thank you."

Ronon had been stunned when she joined him again, the gown that Charetta had given her was gauze-like and clung to her body. The worst part was that when she'd moved to lie down the back lighting of the fire had rendered the material virtually transparent. How was he going to treat her gently and with care when the dusky darkness of her nipples were clearly visible beneath the fabric and not to mention the sight of her on her knees in the middle of his bedding all caused a very basic reaction in Ronon's body, instant all consuming arousal.

Once again he felt the urgent, almost desperate, need to ease his body of its sexual tension, but he denied himself. When she quietly climbed into the bed he swallowed a groan as he watched her gown ride up to her thighs as she slid beneath the fur lined coverings. With gritted teeth Ronon lay down placing his weapon within easy reach beside his pillow.

The room was bright with the fire glow and Lindsey turned onto her side facing it so that she could watch the flames dance and sway. After a moment her eyes fell on him and Ronon felt like all the oxygen was sucked from his lungs. They simply stared at each other without speaking and he watched her snuggle deeper into her blanket her eyes questioning. The room was so silent that when she finally spoke he flinched.

"Why," she murmured as though that was all that was needed for him to understand and he guessed it was. Sighing heavily he closed his eyes for a moment. It was only a one word questions, just three letters, but it required so much in the form of explanation. There were so many reasons why he had asked her to stay; some good and others…Well, he hadn't decided whether they were good or bad yet.

"There is no easy answer to that question, Lindsey." He whispered opening his eyes to look at her. "I think I asked for the same reasons that you stayed."

His answer if you could call it that made her smile as she whispered, "Good night, Ronon."

The Good-Bye

Everyone wore smiles that never reached their eyes, except Ronon his face remained subdued. He didn't find any reason to hide behind masks; his friends were leaving and he was going to miss them. Pretending would only make it worse somehow when they were gone.

It had been like that since they'd arrived back at Atlantis. The painfully innocuous conversations and the absence of true happiness amidst all the smiling faces. Lindsey was still with Colonel Caldwell and General O'Neill, where she had been almost from the moment that she arrived in the city. From the way Colonel Caldwell had yanked her behind closed doors after learning her intentions, Ronon figured the men were trying to talk her out of staying.

When it came time to dial the gate Ronon watched as his friends said good bye and he felt his anger rise.

Things had been tentative between the two of them from the moment he first met Teyla and Sheppard, and things had just started to ease between them. They were now more open with their regard for each other and seeing the love and forced hopefulness in John Sheppard's smile made Ronon's stomach burn at the injustice of it all.

He watched sadly as they bent to touch their foreheads the same falsely bright smiles on their lips and their eyes bright with unshed tears. Sheppard's, take care, seemed to say so many things. Things the two had never voiced.

Ronon watched Sheppard, Carson, Rodney and Doctor Weir step through the gate; friends all and he felt their loss keenly and found himself hoping that Lindsey wouldn't allow herself to be swayed. As though mere thought had conjured her, Lindsey appeared in a flash of light, before the stargate. She was wearing a pair, of what Sheppard had called, blue jeans and a soft pink top. She carried a large canvas bag and a backpack. Moving quickly he took them from her, "Is this everything?"

"Yes," she smiled. "I didn't really have much stuff."

"Yeah, me neither." He guided her to the last group of Athosians that were preparing to go through the gate to their new home world. "Thanks to you Libbie and Kylon have more possessions."

"They're young and they have a full life ahead of them," she smiled gamily up at him, "They need a lot of things to get them through." Glancing around she noted Teyla helping a young mother carry her possessions. "Has everyone else already gone?"

"Yeah," he growled, "I always thought if the Ancestors returned the peoples of our galaxies would unite and the war against the wraith would be over. Now, here they are and they shun the help of those who have fought and bled, holding the last defenses, while they fled this galaxy leaving us to our fate."

"I know," Lindsey noted the weary look that seemed to pervade the Athosian villagers. "Meeting the Ancients wasn't what any of us expected, even Hermiod was disturbed by this course of action."

"I find it disturbing," an older woman spoke up hesitantly from among the villagers, "That strangers from a galaxy so far away showed more care for us than those we have held in reverence for so long."

There was shuffling and nodding as well as an uplifting of voices in agreement. "Sadly," a young man spoke up, "For all the grandeur of their cities and ships, they have no wisdom. These past years among the people of Earth we have learned that solitude will only condemn a people to a life of fear and death."

Ronon looked over the faces of these farmers and hunters and saw the hope and understanding gained through these last three years begin to sag. Taking a deep breath he looked to the control center and met Helia's eye, "The Ancients will realize their need," he turned back to the people who welcomed him into their midst and felt a swell of sympathy.

They wanted…no, needed to look up to these people…the Ancients…and with a sinking heart he realized he was right beside them in their need. "When they realize their need we will be here to make our stand."

When the gate activated Ronon placed a hand on the small of Lindsey's back and lead her through the gate to the place that would be home to them.

The Beginning

Ronon and the men spent most of the first three days clearing fields and trees for crops and housing. Yesterday he and two of the men had spent all day building a larger and more permanent dwelling for them. In return for their help he was working until after dark on what ever the other men needed done.

Ronon had chosen a spot on the edge of the settlement. They were close enough to reach the settlement without too much effort, but they were not so close that they had no privacy.

Lindsey being an engineer and an avid MacGyver fan helped rig up a system of water retrieval for the settlement, with the men all clearing land and building houses it was left to the women to carry the water from the river. She had even been able to rig up a small water purification station that was large enough to cleanse six gallons of water every seven hours. It wasn't ideal, but at least they had a source of clean drinking water.

The Athosians were a communal sort of people and shared many meals together. Lindsey helped the women when she could and was learning a lot about cooking. Tomorrow she would be learning to bake bread and she was oddly excited about the prospect.

Honestly, she hadn't expected it to be so hard living in permanent campout mode. Charetta and Teyla were very helpful aiding her in her transition to living amongst the Athosians. She had to admit that running water and indoor plumbing were the top of her list of things she missed, but the new aqueduct system she was had designed would go a long way toward lessening the work load of the farmers and even allow for limited amounts of running water in designated areas of the village.

Ronon made a major discovery that he promised to share with her and the children tomorrow. He was given to rising early and taking long walks. Which is how he found what ever surprise he had in store for Lindsey. His excitement when he returned from his morning walk was contagious and she tried to wheedle information from him when he arrived home, but he was tired and she had noticed that he seemed more restless tonight and that was hard to imagine, because he literally fell into his bed with exhaustion each night after his labors.

The new house was marginally larger and instead of only two rooms it had three rooms. Ronon said he wanted her to have privacy. He still slept on a pallet in the main room and at night Lindsey pulled the curtain closed as she changed for bed, but always pulled the curtain open when she was finished.

Tonight as he settled on his pallet Lindsey found herself staring into the fire and asking Ronon about his life before the wraith. At first it seemed he would not answer her, but finally he began to speak about his family and the planet he lost.

"I had a brother," he spoke suddenly, his voice sounded rough and reverent. "He was the same age as Rathon." He was solemn at the mention of Libbie and Kylon's dad. "They must have been in school together. He was smart, like you, Trev could have been so much more than a soldier…"

He was silent for a moment and when next he spoke he sounded reluctant, "I - I promised our mother that he wouldn't be like me…that he would become a doctor, like she dreamed."

Lindsey watched the dark contours of his face as he spoke and waited patiently as he grew silent and fought his demons. "He was only fifteen when the wraith attacked…I tried to get him to go through the gate…get out before it was too late, but the Chieftain was good at garnering the trust of the people and he refused to run."

Lindsey heard him sigh, "The day he arrived in my company I was angry and we fought…He was like Carson…a gentle soul and he had no business in the military." She watched as he covered his eyes with one hand and sighed again. "I trained him…" She heard a hitch in his breath as if he was trying to hold the story in.

"I traded everything I had and tried to get Trev and Malana to go. Sateda's government had control of the stargate and only the personal staff of out military leader Kell, was given permission to leave the planet. Malana told me I couldn't force them to be anything other than what they were, but I hated knowing we would be slaughtered and not being able to protect those I loved. She told me I couldn't run forever. She was right…about a lot of things."

He was silent for so long that she thought perhaps he had gone to sleep, but the rough sounds reached her so soft in the dark she might have been able to dismiss it as the flickering fire if she wasn't acutely attuned to his deep rumbling voice.

"They attacked and I watched my men die one at a time. Kell used us to ensure he would be free through the gate. I was so angry at the wraith and Kell, but I was really angry at my self, too, because I couldn't save them. Trev was the last of my men to die…It was like a switch inside me just went off as I watched him die. I stood up and went straight to the hospital…I didn't care about anything, but getting Malana and making it through the gate."

"My memory of the rest of that day is extreme," he murmured, "only bits and pieces."

"She died," Lindsey asked just as quietly as he had spoken.

"Yeah," he murmured.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

He didn't say anything else and Lindsey just watched the fire dance as she thought about her own life. Deciding that she wanted Ronon to know her she shifted until she sat at the edge of the mattress her legs bent and her feet tucked under her.

"When I was nine years old I got to go to a foster home…it is sort of like what we are to Libbie and Kylon, except we love them and we aren't receiving money as a reward…" Lindsey stared into the fire and saw the blond haired, blue eyed boy that had meant so much to her so many years ago. "Anyway…my foster family had a son…he was my age and we seemed to just click…you know like two pieces of a puzzle. I was with them for almost a year and Brett was like a real brother to me."

She felt her heart squeeze and she glanced down to find Ronon's eyes on her as she continued, "The man, Brett's father would drink…you know beer and whiskey…and when he did he got mean."

She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear shrugging as she explained, "I grew up mostly in the orphanage and seeing Brett's life I was glad, because his dad hurt him so much. One night…he, Brett, came into my room…he was crying even though he thought I didn't know it and he was angry…he had a bag of cloths and a sack filled with jelly crackers. It was the fourth of July, a holiday in my country, so there had been a lot of drinking already."

Reaching up she touched her left eye, "His dad had hit him earlier that day and left him with a black eye. He wanted me to go with him. He wanted to run away, but I…" Lindsey felt long buried pain twist her heart. "I was so scared. It was bad enough being out of the orphanage, but to run away into the dark world…"

She buried her face in her hands, "I was so afraid, too afraid, to run away. I told him that if he ran away he would…always…" she lifted her tear stained face so that she looked once more into Ronon's intense gaze and shook her head. "I was so wrong…so wrong."

Ronon reached out and clasped her hand with his larger one, "What happened?"

Lindsey grasped his hand as though it was a lifeline. Closing her eyes she saw that night through the lens of childhood and when she spoke her voice was even more quiet than before. "I talked him into staying and I made him give my the crackers and jelly and his cloths and go back to his room. I…I to-took the food to the kitchen…waste not want not and all that…I got caught and the man hit me, he yelled that he would teach me to steal from him. Brett must have heard me cry out because before his father could strike me again he was there; taking the blows."

She could see it all so clearly, she thought as she stroked her fingers over Ronon's large hand. "The next morning one of the neighbors found us still in the kitchen, Brett was dead, I was huddled in the corner with the hiccoughs, they lasted for seven days, and Brett's dad was passed out at the kitchen table. If I had let him run away at least he would have been alive." Lifting his hand and bending low she brushed her lips across his palm. "Instead I told him if he ran he would never be able to stop…'And you can't run forever, Brett'."

Ronon sat up and gently tugged at her hand, urging her to leave the bed and she went willingly. Without thought or reservation she allowed him to pull her toward him. Lindsey sighed as he enveloped her in his arms and stroked a large hand over her back in a soothing manner.

Her fingers tenderly petted his chest and they both relaxed. Without a word he lay back against the soft furs and they simply comforted each other as they drifted off to sleep.

Lindsey awoke slowly to find herself intimately entwined with Ronon's body. Some time in the night her gown had ridden up and one large hand was splayed across her lower back under the gauzy material, while the other rested on the nape of her neck.

She was afraid to move. Her cheek lay upon his muscled chest and her legs were tangled with his. One of her hands lay upon his bare chest and the other was looped under his arm and grasping his shoulder; it was asleep with pins and needles running through it.

She could feel the hardness of him against her thigh and belly and this time she didn't mistake it for a baby bottle or weapon; the feel of him beneath her was an incredibly sensual way to wake up and Lindsey found she didn't want to move.

His breathing was even and slow indicating sleep, so she just lay there for a few moments enjoying the moment. She would have to get up soon she knew, but she couldn't seem to talk her lethargic body into moving.

The hand on his chest began to move without thought gently stroking down to his hip and back up. When his breathing didn't change she continued her tactile exploration; her fingers finding the scars left by the wraith in their attempts to feed.

He had been through so much pain, she thought. Unconsciously she turned her lips to the scar and traced a feather light kiss over it.

Resisting the urge to explore the rest of his wonderful chest with her lips Lindsey began to slowly remove herself from his sleeping form, shifting her legs to either side of his muscled thighs so she could balance herself. Placing her left hand on the pallet beside his chest she tried to push herself upright, but she found that she was hindered by his arms tightening around her. At first she was confused, because his breathing was the same even breathing as when she'd woken up.

However, turning her face up toward his she found his eyes on her. His gaze heated and watchful; his breathing even. She had forgotten he was a warrior and that he was adept at subterfuge. Ronon's eyes captured hers and when the hand on her lower back began to slide upward taking her gown with it they sparkled with almost feral intent.

Lindsey shivered as he swept the gown over her head and dropped it beside them on the furred pallet. He didn't say a word as he let his work roughened hands to slide over her shoulder and down to tease her naked breast. The feel of his hand on the sensitive peak causing her to gasp and arch her back and he smiled.

Lifting himself to a sitting position and taking her with him, Ronon watched her intently as he claimed her lips with a slow sweep of his lips. When her eyes fluttered shut and her lips parted silently asking for more he gave it. His eyes open and watching as he slipped his tongue along the crease of her lips teasing her with the promise of even more and yet not giving it.

She trembled and he felt it deep inside, she tasted so sweet he wanted to taste her like this forever. Slow and gentle, but then she grew frustrated with the shallow thrusts of his tongue barely breaching her lips and sucked his tongue into her mouth. He felt it to his cock . Closing his eyes with a growl he gave her what she wanted, and gave up all thoughts of slow and easy to give her a deep penetrating kiss that left them both gasping.

One hand stroked up her spine holding her naked chest to his while the other clamped at her hip holding her still, the thin white panties she wore and his leather trousers the only thing that separated his painfully hard shaft from the comfort to be found within her warm body. Shifting his hips rhythmically against her, pressing and stroking her most sensitive spot, he kissed her deeply swallowing the tiny gasps and moans she made with each movement of their bodies.

A noise outside the tent caught Ronon's sexually fogged attention. Moving quickly he thrust to his feet weapon in hand. Turning he dropped Lindsey onto the bed and yanked the curtain closed. Setting his weapon to stun he moved to the side of the tent opening and waited.

When Lindsey found herself unceremoniously dumped onto the bed it took her a moment to figure out Ronon wasn't planning to join her there. She lay there confused and more frustrated than she had ever been before in her life. When she had her body under her control she sat up and wondered what the hell had happened to make Ronon leave her here.

Moving to stand on rubbery legs she began to dress when she heard voices in the outer room. Her eyes widened. Ronon must have heard them as they made their way toward the tent. Which was a wonder to Lindsey because she hadn't been aware of anything except Ronon; obviously she wasn't as entrancing as he.

Opening the flap she stepped out to find Haling and a few of the men Ronon usually worked with standing in the main room. Ronon was still without a shirt and his hand rested on his pistol as though he had just replaced it.

Haling smiled at her as she emerged, "Fair day, Lindsey."

"Good morning," she returned. "How is Jinto taking the move?"

"As well as can be expected," Haling's brow furrowed. "It has been hard on us all, but we are a strong people and if we can endure the wraith this is of little consequence."

"I'm afraid I haven't yet made tea this morning," Lindsey said as she moved to prepare a pot.

"We have already had our tea," Makin informed her. "But we would be glad of another."

"Ronon usually joins us and has never been this late before." Haling added. "We thought we should check to ensure that you were all safe. You are not near enough the settlement that we would know should something happen in the night."

"We like our privacy," Ronon said as he bent to retrieve his shirt from the tangle of blankets. Pulling it on he gestured for the men to have a seat at the low table near the cold ashes of last nights fire. When they had a seat Ronon began picking up the bedding from the floor balling it up and tossing it through the curtain onto the unmade bed.

Her gown slithered from the pile and fluttered to the floor, catching every one's eye. Lindsey felt a blush sweep her cheeks and was torn between grabbing the garment up off the floor and turning to prepare the tea without a word. Ronon settled that dilemma by retrieving the thin garment. Folding it with slow reverent motions and then turning to place it gently on the end of the bed.

Lindsey didn't know what aggravated her more; the knowing looks that passed between the men or the self satisfied smile that crept across Ronon's face. She didn't know what he had to be satisfied about, he'd basically dropped her right in the middle of what she could only call the most intense sexual reaction her body had ever felt.

Glaring at him she went about making her tea, her body seemed averse to the idea of remaining in this state of unfulfilled limbo. Her nipples were tender and her legs like rubber and she had the oddest feeling that he knew it. He used every opportunity to touch her as he helped her prepare the tea and laid a fresh fire over the cold ashes of last nights dead fire. Giving him an evil eye she wished they were alone so that she could tell him exactly what she thought of his male display.

He just smiled as he moved from her side and stoked the fire. When that was done he took the prepared pot from her hands and placed it on the hook over the flame. It wasn't long before the pot was ready and Ronon retrieved it, pouring it into the cups they had both acquired from the various meals on Atlantis and the Daedilus. Adding honey and some milk to her cup he handed it to her before passing the remaining cups to the visiting men.

She was essentially a coffee person, but the Athosian's morning tea was a great substitute for the real thing. Savoring the flavor she closed her eyes and took a seat on the other low bench opposite the men. Ronon immediately sat straddling the bench facing her as he quietly talked with the men about the things they would be working on that day. Sitting his cup on the table he scooted closer to Lindsey and wrapped his arm around her waist absently allowing his fingers to stroke the bare skin revealed by the Athosian outfit.

After they finished their tea, Ronon told Haling that he would join the men after the afternoon meal, because he and Lindsey had many things to do today. The smile on his face and the answering grins of their visitors set Lindsey's teeth on edge.

When the men left to join the rest of the village in the days tasks, Ronon roused the children and refused to speak or make eye contact. Which made Lindsey so angry that when he handed her Kylon she almost refused to go with him.

It was a short trek through the dense forest and over some rocky ground. Ronon held her hand the whole way ignoring her glares and smirking at her when ever they made eye to eye contact. They had been walking for some time when he stopped in front of an opening in the rock face and turned to her, "Close your eyes."

Lindsey was astonished, "What?"

"Your eyes," he said again. "Close them."

"Why?"

He just raised an eyebrow, "Trust me, Lindsey."

Pursing her lips and still rankled over the scene back at the tent she sighed, "Fine." She closed her eyes and Ronon took both of her hands and led her a short distance.

"Okay," he murmured as he released her hands and stepped behind her with his hands on her shoulders.

When she opened her eyes she was surprised at the odd glow that greeted her in the dim surroundings, but when her eyes adjusted she found herself in a cave looking at one of the largest geothermal pools she had ever seen. "You're forgiven," she breathed as she slipped her shoes off and poked a toe into the wonderfully warm water.

"I didn't even know I needed to be," Ronon countered.

Lindsey just laughed and shook her head at his comment, "Of course you didn't," she said as she unwound Kylon's sling.

Ronon just grinned, "I only allowed certain things to be known by the Athosian men," He dropped his coat and pulled his shirt over his head.

"It was none of their business," Lindsey answered as she removed Libbie's outer cloths and left her in a tiny camisole and panties.

"No," Ronon agreed, "but tomorrow morning," his intense eyes bore into hers as he stalked closer until he was a mere foot from her, "when I am pleasuring you and we are not interrupted, as we were this morning, you will look back and be thankful I let the matter slip out for them to see."

Lindsey's brain stopped working, "Did you say…," she gulped and then shook her head.

When he simply lifted an eyebrow and nonchalantly kicked off his boots and unlaced his leather trousers, she felt the overwhelming desire to giggle as her cheeks flushed. Lindsey watched him avidly as he slipped his thumbs in the waist band of his trousers and began to slip them from his waist. She didn't know whether she was disappointed or relieved that he wore thin cotton boxers underneath.

He lifted Libbie onto his shoulders and stepped into the steamy bioluminescent water, "The water is only waist deep, but I figure we can teach the kids to swim here." Ronon turned around once he was standing on level footing. The water was indeed to his waist. When he lifted his arms to take Kylon she broke out of her daze and removed Kylon's sleeper and leaving the cloth diaper in place handed him to Ronon.

There was something almost sexually primal about a nearly naked man cradling a baby to his chest. Not that Ronon half dressed wasn't intensely sexual alone, but for some reason seeing him there with the children made her belly tighten.

"Are you coming in," he asked.

"Yes," she murmured as she unbuckled the sides of her leather halter top. She was nervous because the Athosian shirt was all she wore to cover her breasts. The leather was thick and supportive enough that she hadn't needed a bra. In fact she had hardly worn one since she arrived here. Swallowing she glanced over at Ronon and found him watching her with the same heated gaze he'd worn this morning.

Pulling the leather straps from the buckle she let the top fall to the ground. Ronon's eyes flared and moved slowly deliberately down her body, hungrily devouring the sight of her naked breasts. Lindsey felt a flush stain her cheeks and chest. Slowly she slipped out of her skirt and nervously stood before him in her thin cotton panties.

Raising his free hand to her he took her hand and guided her down the natural steps and into the pool beside him, his eyes never leaving hers. Leaning ever so slowly into her he kissed her; deeply, searchingly, taking her breath away.

It only lasted a moment, before he withdrew and gently passed Kylon into her arms. They spent quiet a while in the heated water and Libbie was well on her way to learning to swim, but Kylon hated it and would make the most horrified faces and cry if anything other than his tiny baby feet made contact with the water. Ronon being a man found it funny at first; the faces he made and the way he would get so angry he would forget to breath, but quickly decided that a crying baby wasn't something that would remain funny for long.

"Maybe it is because until now we have only been giving him sponge baths," she said as she lent against the edge of the pool and swaddled Kylon so that he could lay on the dry surface without fear of him falling into the water. "Maybe I should start giving the children real baths."

"Maybe," Ronon said as he pondered the boys reaction. He set Libbie beside her brother and she immediately lay down, closing her eyes and began sucking her thumb. "Maybe Charetta can tell you if it is normal or not."

"We are going to be baking bread as a village today," she said excitedly as she turned back toward the center of the pool and found Ronon standing very close to her. Almost touching her and forgot what she was going to say.

The Birds and The Bees

He didn't comment, just leaned down and claimed her mouth in a searing-ly, deep kiss. Backing her against the rocky edge of the pool he placed his hands on either side of her, grasping the rock, trapping her. His body was touching hers from thigh to chest as his mouth devoured hers. Her breasts were pressed to the heated skin of his chest and the ache that had begun earlier in their tent only intensified.

He slowly pulled his mouth from hers, his eyes intense as he tunneled one hand under her hair to grasp the nape of her neck. Pressing his hips into hers, causing her to widen her stance to accommodate his hard body as he levered his chest away from her. Ronon kissed away the gasp of disappointment at the lose of his firm chest against her sensitive breasts. Eyes on hers and his mouth left its teasing hers, his other hand gently stroked her cheek with its work roughened finger tips and traced their way along the delicate column of her neck, across her collar bone and then down to torment her already turgid nipple.

At the first stroke of his finger tips over her sensitive breast Lindsey bit her lip, but when he flicked his thumb across the hard tip her eyes fell closed on a moan. The further downward progression of his hand along her belly made her eyes snap open and her belly clinch. Slowly as though he were gentling her he rubbed the flesh below her belly button but above her panties with the backs of his fingers.

When her breathing was labored and her eyes dazed, Ronon slid his fingers into her panties and raked through the curls there until his middle finger hit upon the bundle of nerves hidden within. Her mouth fell open and her hands grasped his shoulders with an inarticulate sound escaping her throat. The feel of his fingers on her most secret spot and the press of his hardness against her thigh was like sensory overload.

Ronon smiled the same self satisfied smile that had graced his lips this morning, but for some reason it didn't seem to bother her now. Maybe it was the fact that the stroking of his fingers over her clit stopped all thought except those required to writhe and moan. Or maybe she just didn't care to be angry at the moment, either way she found her self; mouth slack, breathy moans and throaty whimpers her only verbal abilities.

His strong fingers stroked against her and with each brush pleasure soared through her. He had set up a rhythm that was quickly taking over her body. With each stroke she begged for something more, unsure exactly what it was she needed. But Ronon knew and when his large finger slid over her sensitive bud and then deep inside her, she convulsed at the possession, her nails digging into his shoulders.

Lindsey couldn't think and the edges of her sight were hazy and dark. Ronon was giving her body pleasure, the likes of which she had never received and it was almost painful. She was on the edge of something dark and consuming and it was at the same time; sharp and dull, close but so far; she wasn't sure if she should plead for it or against it.

Shaking her head frantically her eyes frightened as Ronon pushed her, carried her to the brink and when she was about to beg for mercy he leaned down and latched his hungry mouth onto the aching tip of her aroused breast.

She came so hard that had he not held her head at the neck she would have bucked backward into the rocks behind her. Her guttural cry was ripped from so deep inside her it echoed through the cave reverberating like the shockwaves of release through her body. Ronon let her nipple slide from his lips and wrapped her trembling body in his arms. He took steadying breaths and cradled her close as she slowly returned to her right mind. "Beautiful," he whispered as he pressed a gentle kiss to the sensitive flesh beneath her ear.

Lifting her into his arms he carried her out of the pool and gently set her on a rock beside the sleeping children. Kneeling he gently toweled her off with his shirt and removed her wet panties. He didn't speak as he stroked her cheek gently and then kissed her lips. Lindsey clung to him, wrapping her arms and legs around his body and burying her face in his throat, she didn't want to let him go.

When her body calmed Ronon helped her dress, sans her panties, and they both redressed the children. Lindsey sat cradling Kylon to her still sensitive breasts as she watched Ronon pull his leather trousers up over his lean hips and begin to fasten the laces she realized something very important, "Ronon." When he turned to look at her she hesitated.

"What," his voice was so deep and warm, like honey left out in the sun.

"I-you-," she blushed and gestured toward his still aroused body. He simply smiled the smile he'd worn most of the morning. It was like a neon sign that read, 'Deeply Satisfied Male'.

"Don't worry about me," he told her his eyes sparkling. "I'll be fine, but just so you know. The kids will be staying at Charetta's home tonight."

Lindsey's eyes widened and heat spread through her body pooling between her thighs. The thoughts that came to mind were overwhelming and all she could do is nod as he pulled his damp shirt over his head and shoved his arms through the sleeves.

She watched as he tucked it in and she envied that shirt. When he fastened his gun belt around his lean hips she frowned.

"Ronon?"

"Yes," he asked his voice gruff.

"Will you teach me to shoot," she asked her eyes never leaving his weapon. "I am going to ask Teyla to teach me to stick fight. You can teach me the rest."

He was silent for so long that she glanced up into his eyes and saw his uncertainty, "You know it is better for me to know how to protect myself and the children. For when you can't be here."

"I'll always be here," he assured her and she could only shake her head. The smile on her face full of pride and a tinge of sadness.

"We both know there will come a day…" He crossed the cave in two steps and claimed her mouth in a fierce kiss of denial and passion.

When he pulled away he whispered quietly, "I'll teach you."

Lindsey was an absent minded mess the rest of the day. She did so poorly with the bread that the women had suggested perhaps she would like to seek out Teyla's company. Honestly confused with her inability to concentrate, Lindsey had been stricken by the idea that she had failed and was now to be relegated to the out of doors with Teyla.

Charetta offered to let Libbie and Kyl play with her grandchildren for the day and allow Lindsey a bit of free time. When she found Teyla she was instructing the young boys about the ages of ten to fifteen on the art of stick fighting.

She tried to focus on what Teyla was saying, but her mind was not her own today. It had been taken over by an alien version of herself whose only thoughts centered around getting Ronon Dex naked and licking melted chocolate from every inch of him.

So engrossed by the idea Lindsey hardly noticed when the lesson ended and Teyla ambled over to her. "Lindsey," Teyla spoke more loudly and moved to stand within her line of sight, snapping Lindsey from her imaginings.

"Teyla," she exclaimed jumping to her feet. "I'm sorry I didn't hear a word you said."

"I do not imagine you did," Teyla replied her smile as knowing as the men's had been this morning. "Would you car for a drink of cool water…you appear flushed," Teyla tried to look and sound innocent, but it didn't work.

Lindsey smirked, "Very funny."

"Yes, I have to admit you are far more susceptible to my teasing than Ronon today," she gave Lindsey a sideways glance. "I have known Ronon for nearly two years and never have I seen him as distracted as he has been today."

"Really," Lindsey asked relieved that she wasn't alone in that department.

"Really," Teyla replied. "He has also been seen smiling like a fool. He looks quiet pleased with himself."

Lindsey grinned at Teyla, "Yes, I noticed that myself."

"And…" she questioned.

"And," Lindsey inquired, "and what?"

"Does he have good reason to strut like a plumed bird?"

When it looked as though Lindsey wasn't going to answer Teyla tried a different approach. "Come on, share all the juicy details, perhaps I should institute girls poker night and ply you with intoxicants." Teyla hadn't lived three years among the expedition to learn nothing of their social customs.

Lindsey just grinned and waved away the idea of getting her inebriated, "Okay…okay…," grinning she gave Teyla her own version of a satisfied smile. "Ronon Dex has every right to strut around with that smile on his face."

"Really," Teyla's eyes widened. "The two of you…"

Lindsey blushed, though more from memory than embarrassment. "Well, not technically…"

"What do you mean," Teyla frowned.

"I mean that…," Lindsey stopped what did she mean. "Ronon, is the first guy that has even…I mean…He made me…," Lindsey sighed there were no words to explain. "Forget it, just let me ask you a question."

"Okay," Teyla nodded a slight frown still marred her brow.

"Have you ever had an experience, so intensely satisfying, that without a doubt you would die before going back to your previous abstinence?"

Teyla's eyes widened and she shook her head slowly, "I was kissed once and it affected me so, that I believe that should it progress to intimacy I would feel as you describe."

"Then you know what I mean."

"Yes."

"The problem is…," Lindsey sighed and dropped her gaze almost ashamed to admit what she was about to admit to Teyla.

"You did not wish for the experience to occur," Teyla questioned a frown on her face as she watched Lindsey's discomfort.

"What," her head popped up and her startled eyes met Teyla's. "Are you kidding, not want Ronon? No, that isn't the problem…The problem is that this morning he gave me the most intense sexual experience imaginable and I just stood there soaking it in like a sponge. I-I…He didn't…I mean to say that I didn't know what," Lindsey glanced away, "I mean how to…"

"You are untutored in the arts of pleasure," Teyla helped the scientist along. "You feel you let him down in some way?"

Grateful that Teyla understood what she couldn't come right out and say Lindsey hugged the woman, "Yes, exactly, I am so glad you understood what I was saying."

Teyla smiled, "I have become quite adept at understanding what people are trying to say." She glanced away a sad smile on her lips. "The Colonel is also unable to put his thoughts and feelings into words and at times I would have been lost if I had not learned to read him years ago."

Lindsey nodded, "I sort of recognized that about him." Lindsey had spoken to the Colonel a number of times one his trip back to Atlantis aboard the Daedilus and he had seemed a kindred spirit of sorts. "I got the impression he might not have family either from things he said last year, but I never approached him about it."

"You are right," Teyla sighed and sat down beside Lindsey. "I do not know for how long he has been alone, but he has mentioned on several occasions that he has no family back on your planet."

Lindsey nodded and leaned down to pluck a blade of grass from the ground, "Ronon was amazed that with six billion people on our planet I grew up in an orphanage. You learn pretty early that feelings and opinions aren't the care giver's first priority when they are dealing with you." Lindsey split the blade in half and tossed the strand away to flutter away in the breeze. "If you are really lucky you get one on one attention without it being because you broke some rule or another."

"It was not an ideal environment in which to be raised," Teyla queried.

"It was better than the streets and even some real family situations," Lindsey admitted. "I shouldn't complain."

They were quiet for a while each in their own mind when suddenly Teyla stood up, "This does not help you with your worries over Ronon and sadly I am as ignorant as you in the ways of pleasure, but I am sure that Charetta will be able to help you." She twirled her fighting sticks and then placed them beside the log on which Lindsey sat. "Come," she beckoned Lindsey to her.

"I don't know," she blushed very embarrassed.

"It is customary for the older women of my people to advise the younger women after they have chosen their life mate." Teyla told her gently. "It has been this way for many centuries."

"But Ronon and I," Lindsey shook her head a little.

"Have chosen each other," Teyla smiled kindly. "It was clear to us all from the moment Ronon brought you to join the team at the, 'Raising Celebration,' back on the Mainland." Teyla simply laughed at the astonished look on Lindsey's face, "Now come, there is much to learn before the men finish their work for the day."

The What?

Charetta had been only too happy to instruct Lindsey in how to please Ronon and Lindsey spent the next six hours listening avidly and blushing profusely. Now, she stood in the main room of their tent waiting on his arrival from the fields.

She was wearing yet another new Athosian garment, a long dress of aquamarine, that clung to her figure from the halter style neck to her thighs, before falling to her ankles in wide panels. Her back was left bare and the only thing holding the dress in place was a single button fashioned from a opalescent shell.

Her hair had been brushed by Charetta until it shone and fell to her shoulders in soft waves and smelled like exotic flowers. Charetta had also given her a small clay jar filled with an aromatic salve, that smelled of warm spice, used by the women on their bonding night. It was supposed to have an aphrodisiac effect on the male. All Lindsey knew was that it had sure worked its magic on her. When she applied the salve to her entire body as Charetta instructed, she was startled at the warming effect the salve had on her flesh. Especially certain sensitive areas.

The children were at Charetta's and the table was laid out for their meal. Lindsey had finally gotten around to producing an edible loaf of bread and there was roasted meat and tuttle root. A flask of Athosian wine was set beside Ronon's place at the table. Candles were lit and the fire kindled filling the tent with warm intimate glow.

When she heard Ronon's heavy foot steps approaching she felt a momentary flash of uncertainty. Wonder if he hadn't meant what she thought he had when he told her the children would be staying with Charetta. Glancing around in a panic she tried to decide what she should do, but Ronon's appearance at the door of their dwelling the choice was taken from her.

He was freshly bathed, too, and he wore cloths she hadn't seen before. Dark leather trousers and a vest-like shirt that melded to his muscular build, with matching leather bracers that covered his forearms from wrist almost to the elbow. The front of his hair was pulled back and used to restrain the rest of his locks behind his head. He looked so handsome, Lindsey forgot to breath.

When the flap to the tent fell closed behind him Lindsey took a tentative step toward him and took a small shuddering breath. A thrilling mixture of fear and desire swirling inside her as she gently took Ronon's hand and led him to the table. Neither spoke as they took their seats. Lindsey poured wine for Ronon in the ornamented cup Teyla brought earlier when she brought the wine. There was one cup she'd said, because it was the choice of the man whether the female would drink of the wine with him. Just as there was only one plate set upon the table, because it was up to Ronon to decide if they would share the bounty of life.

Ronon's eyes stared intently at the cup as she poured the wine with trembling hands. When she sat the flask down and stepped to her own side of the table his eyes moved to her face. The intensely serious look in his eyes made her belly tighten in doubt, but when he lifted the cup and deeply drank from it before lifting it up to her, she relaxed some what.

Taking a long swallow of the wine she savored the sweet bitterness of the drink, her eyes never leaving Ronon's. Returning the cup to him she uncovered the food she'd prepared for him. Tearing a chunk of bread from the loaf she placed it before him and then dished out the roasted meat and tuttle root, before stepping back from the table.

Ronon watched her for a moment before gesturing for her to sit opposite him. Once she was seated he tore a piece of the bread she gave him off and slowly placed it in his open mouth. Chewing it slowly and thoughtfully he tore a second piece and held it up to her lips. When she opened them he slid the morsel into her mouth and watched as she in turn ate. The same process was followed with the meat and the root, except that when he pressed the succulent meat into her mouth Lindsey couldn't help but let her tongue slide across the pad of his thumb.

Ronon's eyes flared. Standing abruptly from the table he grasped her hand and pulled her to him. His lips on hers were hungry and demanding. Every biting kiss sending tendrils of need winding its way to her core. His hands roughly stroked up her sides and then down her bare back. When he realized he was touching bare skin his body jerked and he pulled his mouth from hers. Stroking his hand up her spine Ronon's eyes burned into hers.

The look in his eyes intensified the need smoldering within her. Smiling gently up at him she stroked her fingers along his jaw, down his neck to rest over his heart. Lifting herself on her toes she pressed a gentle kiss to his lips. Stepping out of his arms she unfastened the button at her neck and the dress slithered to the floor at her feet.

Ronon's eyes raked over her and before she could react she found herself in Ronon's arms, his hungry mouth devouring hers. His large hands were every where at once producing goose flesh every where he touched. Lindsey inhaled the virile sent of him and felt light headed with it. With trembling fingers she began unbuttoning the line of buttons down his vest and parted it to press her naked breasts to his hard chest.

Gasping at the contact on her sensitive breasts she took control of the kiss, like Charetta had instructed her. Shoving the vest off his shoulders she thrust her fingers into his hair and held his head still as she gave him biting open mouthed kisses.

Ronon's hands slid over her naked flesh. Smoothing them over her rounded hips and over the swell of her bottom, while letting her devour him with her kisses. His fingers tightened almost painfully when she let her mouth wonder along his jaw to his throat.

Lindsey loved the taste of him. He was her drug and he was addictive, even more so than chocolate. Working her way down his chest she licked and nipped his flesh and was only dimly aware that her fingers had already begun unlacing his leather trousers.

Growling Ronon's fingers trapped hers against his hard stomach and lifted her chin taking her lips with his. Walking her backward and stopping beside the bed he kissed her deeply. The work roughened fingers of one hand grasped hers, locking them behind her back as the hand grasped her thigh lifting it urging her to wrap her legs around his waist.

Lindsey moaned her head falling back as her naked sex was pressed to the leather trousers warmed by his body's heat. Letting her hands go he thrust his fingers into her hair and pulled her to him for another soul stealing kiss. It was about the time his fingers found their way to her parted sex that Lindsey realized Ronon was back in charge. It was also abundantly clear he intended it to stay that way, but Lindsey was determined to show him as much pleasure as he showed her and raked her nails over his chest and down his firm belly.

Distracting him by allowing one hand to press his large hand more firmly against her, urging one of his fingers to enter her. She let the other hand slip inside his trousers and grasp his thick member, causing them both to gasp. Ronon pulled his mouth from hers with a feral grin and then punished her for trying to distract him by sliding a second finger deep into her wet channel.

Gasping she fell forward and bit his shoulder to keep from crying out with each thrust of his fingers. She felt so full with just his fingers stroking her and he was so big in her hand that Lindsey was almost afraid they wouldn't fit. That thought fled when his thumb flicked over her clit once…twice and then she couldn't hold back her open mouthed cries as she came for the second time that day.

Ronon turned and sat heavily on the bed, gently sliding his fingers from her folds, and pulled her hand from his straining cock. He stroked his hands gently down her back and along her thighs. When she stopped trembling he kissed her gently, their eyes never leaving each others as he scooted backward a bit on the bed and helped her to kneel astride him.

Slowly deliberately he finished unlacing his trousers and kicked off his boots. Her fingers in his hair and her forearms resting on his shoulders she leaned down and kissed him tenderly as he shucked his trousers. Ronon framed her face with his large fingers and smoothed her damp hair from her face as he shifted his hips and felt the wet slide of her against his hardness.

Her eyes widened and he saw a bit of uncertainty in them, but she lifted herself just enough so that with his next stroke he was in the perfect position to begin the slow slide into her.

Feeling the tip of him at her entrance she trembled and kissed him deeply, just a little afraid of what would come next, even as she shifted her hips and began lowering herself tentatively onto his hardness. He was too large or she was too small, either way this wasn't going to work. Lindsey shook her head at the pained pleasure of his partial possession, it was too much.

Ronon could feel her tense as he made his way a mere three inches inside her. She was trembling and shaking her head in denial, but Ronon knew she could take him, she just needed a little help. Quickly he scooped his arms between her thighs and hooked her legs over his arms. He stood up and switched their positions as he lay her across the bed. He remained standing beside the bed, between her thighs which he held wide with his muscled arms.

The position was incredibly erotic, because it gave them both a clear view of his cock slipping inside her womanly folds. To free his right hand up he slipped her left leg over his shoulder. He put that hand to good use stroking her clit and began staking his claim of her body. She would be his and his alone. His eyes never left hers as he slowly, patiently worked himself to and fro within her gradually slipping deeper and deeper. By the time he felt the tip of his cock bump the barrier within her they were both covered in sweat.

Lindsey's eyes were glazed with the pleasure and she could already feel the beginnings of another orgasm trembling through her. Ronon's jaw was clinched and his body twitched with each press of his body against her inner barrier. His restraint and the way he worked his fingers over the tiny bundle of nerves pushed her over the edge and she started to come.

As her muscles began to flutter around him, he pushed himself deep breaching the barrier with one hard thrust. Shocked she caught her breath, eyes wide as she watched him gasp for breath. He bowed his head and he held himself perfectly still. The sweat poured off his body like he had a fever and his hands were clinched into fists.

Swallowing she calmed herself and concentrated on the incredibly full feeling of Ronon Dex buried inside her. Smiling at the wonder of being joined to him, she grasped one of his fists and urged him to look at her. Letting her leg slide from his shoulder and arm she hooked them around his slick hips and pulling him toward her.

He came willingly to cover her, his mouth latching onto her breast suckling hungrily as he pressed his hips flush with hers. Lindsey could feel him throbbing within her and unconsciously tightened her inner muscles around him. It surprised him and he jerked to meet her eyes. Smiling tenderly she reached up and kissed him deeply.

Pulling away he answered her smile with one of his own and began to move within her, out then in. Each thrust wringing a breathy gasp, a small moan, or tiny inarticulate whimper from her throat. It was torturously slow his lovemaking. Ronon kissed her mimicking the slow possession of his body with his tongue. But a pace that slow could only last so long and soon his hips were moving faster, harder, deeper inside her. He thrust deep and Lindsey countered with a lift of her hips; each thrust more feral than the last, but neither of them cared to retain the easy gentle loving that marked their possession of each other.

Lindsey's mind was wild and she gasped raking her nails down his sides as he slammed into her, meeting her raised hips. Two more thrusts and she was feeling the familiar tightening of her belly and the pleasure of her body climaxing, this time she wasn't empty and her muscles clenched around the thickness of him. If you'd have asked Lindsey if she thought anything could feel better than the orgasms he'd given her earlier, she would have said, 'No,' without question. But she would never have been more wrong.

Somehow milking him as he continued his thrusts only served to intensify her pleasure. Ronon's hands framed her face and he stared into her eyes, gritting his teeth as he thrust deeply one final time. Lindsey's mouth fell open as she felt him swell and throb within her. His essence hot and potent filling her womb.

Gasping for breath he pressed his forehead to hers, eyes closed in hopes of retaining some shred of the glorious pleasure, and waited as their bodies trembled and shuddered. Lindsey recovered first, probably because of the energy it took to initiate her so slowly.

She lifted her lips to his and kissed him gently, lovingly. Smiling when he kissed her back equally as gentle. When he recovered enough to shift his body, withdrawing from her, she whimpered and weakly tried to hold him with her trembling legs.

Ronon smiled tiredly and pressed a kiss to her forehead. Rolling them so that she lay sprawled over him in much the same position as that morning they settled into a comfortable silence. Each stroking and petting the other as they relaxed.

Lindsey was drifting off to sleep while Ronon feathered his fingers up and down her arm, when he spoke his voice slightly amused, "You realize we just got married. Right?"

Lindsey jerked awake, "Married," she asked incredulously as she raised herself to look him in the eyes.

"Yeah," he told her with a self satisfied smile, "and you didn't even stab me in the ass."

The Visitors

It was nearly six weeks since the Ancients arrived back in Pegasus and took over Atlantis, only to relegate those who'd assumed care of the city to their respective corners of the known worlds. Lindsey only rarely thought about her old life, she'd settled into her new one with surprising ease.

If anyone had asked her how she could not miss all the modern conveniences of Earth, she would have told them she'd never lived before coming to this galaxy. Never been free until she set foot among the Athosians, and never been totally happy until she became Libbie and Kylon's mother. She would have said, that she'd never been loved until she met Ronon Dex. How could the modern world live up to all she'd found here?

Teyla had agreed to teach her stick fighting and Lindsey was progressing quiet well and was now sparing with the young teen boys. That had been a bit embarrassing at first, but the boys were respectful and treated her well. She could shoot and Ronon even spoke of creating a smaller version of his weapon for her.

Ronon taught her a lot of other things as well, mostly things she would never be doing in public, but Lindsey wasn't complaining.

She started and ended each day with Ronon buried deep inside her, eat your heart out Courtney. Their days were also full with the work of rebuilding the Athosian village and raising the children. Kylon was crawling around getting into everything and Libbie was right along side him, they were a double action ball of mischief.

The days were long on this planet and that made the work hours tiring. Ronon was known to take an hour or two at mid day, disappearing without a word and Lindsey inevitably also was no where to be found. It was the hottest part of the day and after only slight consideration the rest of the village also decided to take a break at mid day. Retreating to the shade of their homes or favorite out door spot.

Lindsey knew that about a week ago the work on the village was completed and Ronon was needed less and less to help with the heavy labor. It was shortly after this that Lindsey began to notice Ronon pensively staring into the fire when the men talked of sewing the tava beans for the winter harvest. He would walk with her and the children back to the tent without a word being uttered during the trip and she would see him staring into the night sky.

He was feeling the call to action, it was palpable and on those nights when he found no peace simply watching the stars he was particularly fierce in his lovemaking. Tonight he hadn't talked about farming tava beans, he hadn't had to walk home in the dark his eyes on the stars and when he slipped inside her, he was so gentle and slow.

Tonight, was different because Teyla was watching the children, so that Lindsey could prepare them a private meal. Tonight was special because she was supposed to be telling him about the baby she carried in her womb, but tonight was the night she realized that Ronon Dex was about to leave her to fight his war.

Fight for all the people he'd loved and lost, fight for all the people that lived in fear, and fight especially for those he loved that he couldn't bare to lose. Tonight was the night that Lindsey didn't tell him about their baby, because she loved him too much.

So, she'd served him dinner and laughed and smiled as they talked and when he led her to their bed she loved him with everything she had. Tenderly she'd kissed his entire body, slowly stroking him, whispering her love against his skin and into his neck.

Ronon shivered at the slow, intense loving and he could feel his resolve to get back to the fight begin to crumble, but he strengthened the resolve with nightmarish pictures of Lindsey or the children gone because the wraith went un-checked.

Rolling with her he kissed her lips, forehead and cheeks. Just as slowly and deliberately he stroked every inch of her with his lips. Lingering at the delicate arch of her foot and the tender crook of her knee, two places that made her whimper and writhe. Spreading her legs pressing her knees into the mattress and pushing them upward, he exposed her sex to his hungry eyes.

He blew across her heated folds and her skin broke out in gooseflesh, she smiled lovingly at him as she gently stroked her fingers along his cheek and into his hair. Leaning in and pressing his open mouth to her thigh he trailed a wet path to the place he thought of as home. When his lips and tongue made contact with the bundle of nerves her eyes fluttered and he thought they might close, but she forced them open. Her gaze was unfocused and her skin was flushed with desire, but she would not look away.

That was when he realized she knew. Somehow she had guessed he planned to rejoin the fight against the wraith, and instead of begging him not to go. She smiled and stroked him, but didn't ask him not to do what he felt was his duty. His love for her grew ten-fold with that knowledge and he felt his heart begin to ache.

Ronon pleasured her with his mouth until she begged him to fill her, and then he kissed his way up her body. Swirling his tongue around her belly button wringing a cry of need from her lips and continuing upward. She hissed when he latched onto her nipple and her nails clawed at his scalp. When his cock made contact with her entrance she stilled, he didn't think she even breathed.

With infinite tenderness he slipped slowly inside her, inch by inch. When she cradled him within her hot silken core he wrapped her in his arm and rested his forehead against hers as he made love to her tenderly. His eyes never left hers as her body began to tremble around him with each thrust he made.

Ronon reached up and caressed Lindsey's cheek and let his lips fall to hers, kissing her deeply and tenderly, letting his tongue imitate his bodies possession of her as his hand glided downward finding her clitoris and intensifying her pleasure. He could tell she was close because her legs were trembling around him and her hands were fluttering along his back and arms.

When she came she buried her face in his neck and whispered that she loved him and the tightening in his chest intensified along with the movements of his body seeking comfort from the ache in side him. The deepening, quick movements set her off again and her body trembled and quacked around him, but the ache was still there. Still squeezing his heart. Taking her mouth with his he thrust deeply needing her to beg him to stay with her and not let her go, but with each thrust of his tongue and body he knew she wouldn't say the words.

His movements were strong and fierce and she trembled again on the edge, her eyes closed so he wouldn't see her sorrow. When she came for the third time a single tear slipped from the corner of her eye as she held him against her, inside her as he came with a great racking sob. The ache was far from gone and all he could do was bury himself in her and feel.

Lindsey held him close, stroking his back as his uncharacteristic tears slid down her neck and into her hair. "How did you know," he asked his voice muffled by her skin.

"I could see it in your eyes," she whispered and stroked her hand over his hair. "I could see the disquiet in you. Defeating the wraith is your destiny, Ronon. It's who you are."

"I don't think Teyla even noticed," he whispered his tears stopped and his hands tracing over her gently once more.

"Teyla is grieving right now," Lindsey whispered. "She hides it well, because she doesn't want her people to see they are not enough for her anymore."

"Sheppard."

"Yeah, she has deep feelings for him." Lindsey kissed the top of Ronon's head where it lay upon her breast. "And I think there are regrets there. She is also disappointed that the Ancestors have not been what she and her people believed them to be."

"The Ancestors," Ronon whispered fiercely. "I always thought they would return and set us free from the wraith, but when they came they only boxed us in and took away those willing to fight."

"They seem to be just as foul able ," Lindsey mused. "They may be more advanced, but Hermiod once told me the Ancients were not the perfect species that we Earthlings imagined. He said they were uncompromising, over confident and at times even reckless in their single minded determination to achieve their goals. Perhaps like the Asgard they even began to weed out emotion in an attempt to achieve ascension. I know Hermiod believed them unfeeling toward those they deemed less evolved."

"I guess we qualify," he sighed.

"I don't know," Lindsey smiled. "Our peoples have come a long way and the ancients that are left in the world do not possess all the knowledge of their race. I say that puts us on an even footing with them. Doctor McKay probably knows more about their technology or they would have fixed their hyper-drive engine in the years they spent traversing the void between galaxies. Only a race that is over confident and unprepared travels between galaxies without the means to repair damage to their ship."

Lifting himself until he could look into her eyes he whispered, "I love you, wife," he grinned.

"And I love you, husband." she leaned up and kissed him deeply a smile on her lips. "When will you go?"

"I will speak with Teyla tomorrow evening after the hunt," he whispered as he let his lips trail down the column of her neck. "I will not leave until I find out what she plans to do." Ronon tensed and leapt from the bed his gun in his hand almost immediately. Lindsey was always unnerved by the quickness he showed when reacting to any noise out of place around them.

He listened intently and then called out, "I'll be out in a moment, Haling." His shoulders relaxed and he placed his gun on the bed beside her naked thigh. Picking it up she eased herself into a sitting position and began to twirl the weapon as he had taught her. He just smiled down at her as he began to dress. His eyes following the motion of his gun in her hand. It was so large that she fumbled it a bit, but she did well, she was a quick learner. Taking the weapon he handed her dress to her, "I don't want to leave you here after dark alone."

"Ronon, don't be silly," she rolled her eyes. Where did he expect her to stay when he left to fight the wraith, this was her home. She stood up and pulled the dress over her head and then placing her foot on the bed she lifted the skirt and fastened the scabbard Ronon had fashioned from soft leather to house her own supply of hidden blades. "I'll be safe as can be," reaching on tip toes she kissed his disapproving lips.

He frowned at her and she just pointed him toward the door. "Bring the children back when you come."

Ronon felt his heart constrict as he carried Libbie and Kylon back toward his tent. He was followed closely by the renegade Atlantis team and Teyla. If it hadn't been surprise enough to reach the gathering tent and find Teyla entertaining Ladon, the arrival of the Atlantis team certainly was. He couldn't believe that the two groups had been able to actually breach the settlement without anyone being the wiser. It only emphasized his belief that perhaps he didn't belong among the Athosians right now and filled his head and heart with worries about his families safety when he was not here to protect them.

Not to mention the fact that it had never occurred to him that Teyla would not insist upon having a sentry posted near the gate to alert the village of danger. He had become lax and it rankled. When the reached the tent it was silent. At least until Lindsey's voice sounded from inside, "Jesus, Ronon you sound like a cow trampling through woods. I heard you fifty meters back."

He laughed at that, "Yes, and this is coming from a woman who failed her survival training because she hummed the whole time."

Lindsey appeared in the door of the tent casually tossing her blade and alternately catching it by the blade and hilt. "I liked the punishment for failure too much." Her eyes ran from Ronon and the children to Teyla and beyond. "Wow, just in the neighborhood," she asked.

"Something like that," Elizabeth Weir murmured.

Lindsey nodded and then sheathed her blade, "Well, I will put some tea on then," she smiled as she moved and took the children from Ronon. "Come on in, you can talk inside."

Lindsey made tea and then took the children into their room. She knew that something was wrong and that meant that her time was up. Ronon would be leaving sooner rather than later. Most probably tonight and she wanted to go back in there and listen to their plans, but she couldn't seem to make her legs move. She heard McKay's droning voice and irrationally she wanted to yell at him to shut up, but she held her tongue.

How had she ever thought she would be strong enough to let him go? Libbie and Kylon were asleep in their beds and Lindsey sat on the ground with her back pressed to Libbie's small bed. Her arms were wrapped around her legs and her eyes hidden in her upraised knees.

She didn't know how long she sat like that before the tears began to slowly leak from her eyes, or how long Ronon stood in the open flap watching her before he spoke.

"Lindsey," his voice startled her and she panicked. Hurriedly she wiped her eyes and looked up at him.

"Yes," she asked.

"We have to go," he knelt by her side and cupped her cheek. Lindsey could only nod her understanding. She began to rise and Ronon grasped her arm helping her to her feet.

Hugging him tightly she pressed her forehead into his chest over his heart. Ronon's large fingers closed over the nape of her neck and he bowed his head over her. "Please…," she begged taking a shuddering breath and prayed for enough strength to watch him walk away. "Please take care."

"I love you, wife." His rough voice murmured so tenderly that she felt her heart twist.

"And I love you, husband." She smiled tenderly as she lifted dry eyes to him and stroked his cheek. "I'll let you say good bye to the children."

Lindsey slipped from the children's room and found the Atlantis team waiting. Teyla moved to stand before her and bowed her head. Lindsey gave her a sad smile and touched her head to Teyla's. When they rose to look each other in the eye Teyla frowned, "You did not tell him."

Lindsey shook her head, "He would have felt torn between me and his duty. I couldn't do that to him, he cares so much…I knew he would stay and in the end I would have made him less than he is."

"But Lindsey to withhold this from him," Teyla's eyes were troubled.

"When he returns I will still be here," Lindsey tried to smile. "Please, lets not talk about this or I won't be able," she stopped and bit her lips until she could continue. "Teyla Emmaggen bring my husband home safely."

"I will do my best, Lindsey Dex."

"Husband," Rodney piped up breaking up the emotional scene as only he could. "You married him?"

"Do you have a problem with that," Lindsey asked her face sternly fixed in one of Ronon's trademark intense stares.

Rodney's eyes widened and he back pedaled, "Problem, no, no problem."

Hearing Ronon behind her Lindsey turned and smiled at him, "You have everything you need? All your knives and guns?"

"Yes," he said as he picked her up around the waist and held her to his chest kissing her deeply. When he pulled away he set her gently on her feet. "You know what to do if the wraith attack."

"Yes, take the children to the cave." She watched as he placed a nine millimeter in her hand and glanced at Colonel Sheppard, he didn't react so he must have known Ronon planned to leave it with her. Looking back at Ronon she checked the weapon and flicked the safety off and then back on.

"Just in case," he murmured and she nodded.

"I know," she stroked his cheek again. "We will be fine now go safe the world."

It was the hardest thing she had ever done in her life watching him walk out of the tent with the rest of the Atlantis' crew knowing he would be in danger from the moment he emerged on the other side of the gate. Her heart ached and her eyes burned, but she stood a gentle if sad smile on her face as he stepped outside and turned back for one last look at her.

Standing frozen for so long afraid to move lest she shatter and he hear it. She wouldn't let her weeping be the last thing he heard before he left to fight. They were almost out of hearing of the tent when she hurried to the door and called after him, "I love you, Ronon Dex!"

Author's Note: Wow! I finished it…yippee…and now this universe will be continued in, 'This is That Day'.


End file.
